'-    , 

• 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


X  •».  •*v»          ^ 

•  j  •  -j         V      ^ 

SIX  MONTHS  IN  A  CONVENT, 

^  ;.-..-  .  \  x  n  < 

OR,    THE    NARRATIVE    OP 

REBECCA  THERESA  REED, 

WHO  WAS  UNDER  THE  INFLUENCE  OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHO- 
LICS ABOUT  TWO  YEARS,  AND  AN  INMATE 
OF  THE  URSULINE  CONVENT 


NEARLY  SIX  MONTHS,  IN  THE  YEA 


WITH  SOME   PRELIMINARY  SUGGESTIONS  BY 
THE    COMMITTEE    OF   PUBLICATION. 


BOSTON : 

RUSSELL,    ODIORNE  &  METCALF- 

NEW- YORK,  NELSON  HALL,  JOHN  ST.  ;    PHILADELPHIA,  WILLIAM 

MARSHALL  AND  CO.  ;    CINCINNATI,  C.  )'.   BARNES;  AND  ALL 

THE    PRINCIPAL    BOOKSELLERS    IN   THE   U.    STATES. 

1835. 


ENTERED  ACCORDING  TO  ACT  OF  CONGRESS,  IN  THE  YEAH 
1835,  BY  RUSSELL,  ODIORNE  AND  METCALF,  IN  THE  CLERK'g 
OFFICE  OF  THE  DISTRICT  COURT  OF  MASSACH  PSETTS. 


Bureotj-ped  bj  Shcpard,  Oll»er  ft  Uo. 


PRELIMINARY  SUGGESTIONS 
FOR    CANDID    READERS. 


IT  is  related  in  the  history  of  the  Reformation,  that 
about  the  middle  of  the  year  1320,  Martin  Luther  published 
in  his  native  language  a  little  treatise,  in  which  he  ad- 
dressed the  emperor  and  German  nobility  on  the  necessity 
of  a  reformation  in  the  church.  Some  friends  of  Luther, 
however,  there  were,  who  were  startled  at  the  boldness  of 
the  publication,  and  CONSIDERED  IT  AS  THE  SIGNAL  FOR 
WAR;  but  the  more  thinking  and  judicious  part  of  mankind 
looked  on  this  measure  as  the  wisest  step  which,  even  in 
n  merely  worldly  and  prudential  light,  could  possibly  have 
been  taken  to  render  contemptible  and  abortive  the  ex- 
pected fulmination  of  the  Roman  court. 

This  little  treatise  was  the  origin  of  that  immense  move- 
ment in  public  sentiment,  the  Protestant  refotm  in  the 
church.  No  sooner  was  it  known,  than  Leo  X.  issued 
that  famous  damnatory  bull  against  Luther,  which  in  the 
event  proved  so  fatal  to  the  established  hierarchy.  The 
writings  of  Luther,  though  at  that  period  they  were  of  a 
mild  and  persuasive  character,  were  condemned  as  hereti- 
cal, scandalous,  and  offensive  to  pious  ears  ;  all  persons 
were  forbidden  to  read  them  upon  pain  of  excommunica- 
tion ;  such  as  had  any  in  their  custody  were  commanded  to 
burn  them ;  and  he  himself,  if  he  did  not  in  sixty  days  send 
or  bring  his  retraction  to  Rome,  was  pronounced  an  obsti- 
nate heretic,  was  excommunicated,  and  delivered  unto  Sa- 
tan for  the  destruction  of  his  flesh. 

We  do  not  propose  to  institute  a  grave  comparison  be- 
tween Luther's  little  treatise  in  the  sixteenth  century  and 
the  Narrative  of  a  six  months'  residence  in  a  Convent  in  tha 
nineteenth  century,  but  there  are  some  points  of  resefn- 


.          rr  <r 


4  INTRODUCTION. 

blance  in  the  treatment  of  the  two  cases  that  are  not 
altogether  unapt. 

In  August,  1831,  a  young  lady,  then  eighteen  years  of  age, 
a  daughter  of  one  of  our  fellow-citizens  residing  in  Charles- 
town,  became  an  inmate  of  the  Community  of  Nuns  esta- 
blished at  Mount  Benedict  in  that  town,  and  voluntarily 
submitted  for  some  time  to  a  course  of  study  and  disci- 
pline designed  to  prepare  her  to  become  a  teacher  in  the 
Convent,  and  a  religious  recluse  for  life  of  the  Ursuhne 
order.  After  a  residence  of  about  six  months,  she  be- 
came dissatisfied  with  the  religious  profession  she  had  em- 
braced, and  desired  to  return  to  her  friends,  against  whose 
wishes  she  had  renounced  the  Protestant  for  the  Catholic 
faith.  Having  sufficient  reason  for  believing  that  her  re- 
turn to  the  world  would  be  opposed,  and  having  no  means 
of  communicating  with  her  friends,  she  made  her  escape, 
without  the  knowledge  of  the  Superior  of  the  Convent,  and 
was  restored  to  her  former  friends  and  her  former  religion. 
Soon  after  leaving  the  Convent,  she  became  a  member 
of  Christ  Church  in  Boston,  of  the  Episcopal  order,  of 
which  Rev.  Mr.  Croswell  was  rector.  Her  departure 
from  the  Convent  happened  in  February,  1S32,  and  in  Au- 
gust, 1834,  two  years  and  five  months  having  elapsed,  the 
TJrsuline  Convent  was  burnt  to  the  ground  by  a  lawless 
mob.  Since  the  commission  of  this  outrage,  a  most  cruel 
attempt  has  been  made  by  the  friends  of  the  Convent  to 
connect  it  with  the  young  lady  who  escaped  from  the  Nun- 
nery in  1832,  and  who,  from  that  period  up  to  the  time  of 
the  riot  in  Charlestown,  had  been  living  in  retirement,  with 
no  wish,  and  with  no  possible  means  to  produce  an  excite- 
ment against  that  institution.  In  fact,  it  will  be  seen  in 
the  course  of  these  suggestions,  that  abundant  causes  to 
account  for  the  popular  excitement  against  the  Convent 
had  occurred  immediately  preceding  its  destruction,  with- 
out any  possible  connection  with  the  isolated  fact  that  a 
young  girl  had  left  the  institution  two  years  and  a  half  be- 
fore, and  had  given  to  her  immediate  friends  a  narrative 
of  the  events  which  she  witnessed  there.  Nevertheless, 
the  fact  that  the  young  lady  had  committed  such  a  narra- 
tive to  writing,  soon  after  she  left  the  Convent,  (although 
that  fact  was  known  to  but  very  few  persons,  including  her 
pastor  and  her  immediate  friends  and  advisers,)  was  mag- 
nified into  very  great  importance,  after  the  Convent  was 


INTRODUCTION.  5 

burnt.  For  nearly  a  year  before  that  event,  the  manuscript 
of  this  Narrative  (containing  every  fact  precisely  as  it  is  now 
published)  had  remained  undisturbed  in  the  hands  of  the  re- 
verend gentleman  of  whose  church  Miss  R.  had  become  a 
member,  alter  renouncing  the  Roman  Catholic  faith ;  and 
whatever  intention  there  might  have  originally  been  of 
giving  it  publicity,  all  such  intention  had  been  abandoned. 
It  would  seem,  therefore,  to  have  required  the  utmost  inge- 
nuity of  motive  hunters,  to  have  traced  the  burning  of  me 
Ursuline  Convent  in  1834  to  a  narrative  of  a  six  months' 
residence  there  in  1831,  which  a  young  girl  had  written 
two  years  before,  and  which  had  been  seen  in  manuscript 
only  "by  a  very  limited  number  of  her  friends. 

But  strange  as  it  will  be  considered,  on  due  reflection, 
the  "  little  treatise"  published  by  Martin  Luther,  in  1520, 
was  not  more  terribly  denounced  >jy  the  Pope  and  his 
spiritual  subjects,  than  has  been  the  simple  manuscript 
narrative  of  Miss  R.,in  1832,  by  the  Catholics  and  their 
friends  in  this  quarter.  Even  many  of  the  apparent  friends 
of  truth,  and  of  the  religion  of  the  New  Testament,  will  no 
doubt  be  as  much  startled  at  the  boldness  of  our  presuming 
to  publish  this  little  Narrative,  and  will  consider  it  "the 
signal  for  war,"  quite  as  seriously,  and  just  as  wisely,  as 
did  some  of  the  friends  of  Luther,  when  he  gave  his  first 
account  of  abuses  and  follies  he  had  himself  witnessed  in 
the  Monasteries  and  Convents  of  that  day.  And  be  it  re- 
membered too,  that  the  statements  of  Luther  for  some  time 
rested  on  his  individual  assertions  against  the  whole 
hierarchy  of  Rome.  Had  Christians  believed  the  Priests 
and  discredited  Luther,  where  would  have  been  the  Re- 
formation ?  Shall  then  Christians  of  the  present  day, 
Christian  parents  who  have  daughters  to  educate,  disbe- 
lieve the  narrative  of  a  residence  in  a  modern  Convent, 
made  bv  a  convert  from  that  order,  merely  because  in  mat- 
ters of  fact  which  only  she  and  the  Catholic  community  at 
the  institution  could  nave  witnessed,  the  latter  attempt  to 
discredit  her  testimony  ?  Would  they  not  do  so  of  course, 
if  the  disclosure  of  the  trnth  must  open  the  eyes  of  Protes- 
tants, so  as  to  convince  them  of  the  impropriety  of  intrust- 
ing the  education  of  their  daughters  to  a  secret  and  super- 
stitious community  of  Catholic  Priests  and  Nuns? 

It  is  in  the  hope  that  the  truth  will  prevail,  that  we  have 
advised  the  publication  of  this  Narrati/e,  which,  just  like 


D  INTRODUCTION. 

the  little  treatise  of  Luther,  has  been  denounced  and  con- 
demned by  those  who  know  nothing  of  its  real  contents, 
as  "  heretical,  scandalous,  and  offensive  to  pious  ears." 
We  doubt  not  that  when  it  is  published,  that  portion  of  the 
community  and  the  press  who  have  made  up  their  minds 
to  listen  to  nothing  against  the  infallibility  of  Ursuline 
Convents  to  educate  Protestant  daughters,  will  not,  in  their 
denunciations,  be  a  whit  behind  me  damnatory  bull  of 
Pope  Leo  X.  against  Luther,  for  publishing  his  "  little 
treatise."  All  persons  will  be  forbidden  to  read  and  be- 
lieve the  "•  little"  Narrative  about  the  Convent,  under  pain 
of  being  held  up  to  public  odium  as  among  the  rioters,  or 
at  least  abettors  of  the  riot,  which  led  to  the  destruction 
of  the  Nunnery  at  Mount  Benedict.  Even  pious  men  and 
women  will  be  so  eager  to  show  their  religious  tolerance 
and  Christian  charity  for  Catholic  Nunneries,  that  thev 
will  labor  with  all  thei<-  might  to  destroy  the  character  of 
an  American  Protestant  girl,  who  has  escaped  from  Catho- 
lic superstition ;  in  order  to  maintain  the  infallible  purity 
of  a  secret  community  of  foreign  females,  who  have  intro- 
duced among  us  for  the  imitation  of  the  daughters  of  re- 
publicans, the  ascetic  austerities  of  a  religious  discipline 
destructive  of  all  domestic  and  social  relations. 

As  to  those  who  have  advised  thispublication,  and  who 
venture  to  doubt  the  infallibility  of  Convents  in  1835,  as 
Luther  did  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope  in  1520,  we  antici- 
pate, as  a  matter  of  course,  from  a  portion  of  the  commu- 
nity, all  manner  of  denunciations  and  excommunications, 
as  "  obstinate  heretics,  fit  only  to  be  delivered  unto  Satan 
for  the  destruction  of  the  flesh."  Nevertheless,  we  very 
conscientiously  believe  that  it  is  as  much  our  duty  to  give 
this  "  little"  Narrative  of  Convent  discipline  to  th'e  Chris- 
tian public,  as  it  was  the  duty  of  Luther  to  publish  his 
"  little  treatise"  three  hundred  years  ago.  We  earnestly 
desire  that  the  public  may  discriminate  between  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  religion  and  a  Roman  Catholic  school  to 
educate  daughters  of  Protestants,  and  that  they  will  not 
longer  confound  religious  toleration  with  the  encourage- 
ment of  monastic  seminaries  of  learning.  We  regard 
this  matter  as  more  immediately  connected  with  the  great 
interests  of  EDUCATION  among  ns,  than  it  is  with  the  ad- 
vancement of  pure  and  undeh'led  religion.  It  is  not  a 
question  of  creeds  and  sects.bat  it  is  a  grave  question  ho* 


INTRODUCTION*  7 

the  future  ornaments  to  our  most  refined  society,  the  future 
accomplished  mothers  of  American  citizens,  shall  be  edu- 
cated. We  ask,  in  this  view,  is  it  not  a  startling  fact,  that 
here  in  the  town  of  Charlestown,  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  Boston,  celebrated  above  all  other  communities  for  its 
means  of  giving  a  Christian  and  a  republican  education  to 
its  children,  the  aid  of  a  foreign,  ascetic,  superstitious,  anti- 
republican  institution  should  have  been  ealled  in,  esta- 
blished solely  by  Roman  Catholics,  who  have  taken  reli- 
vious  vows  of  "  POVERTY,"  and  yet  hold  out  public  induce- 
ments and  charge  the  highest  prices  for  educating  the 
daughters  of  wealthy  parents  of  that  class  of  Christians 
whom  "  all  good  Catholics"  regard  as  heretics,  who  must 
inevitably  be  damned  unless  they  are  converted  to  the  only 
true  faith ! 

It  is  high  time  that  a  little  common  sense  was  applied  to 
the  estimate  of  the  motives  and  objects  of  Roman  Catho- 
lic monastic  institutions  for  educating  Protestant  chil- 
dren !  Many  of  our  most  influential  citizens  seem  to  he 
preparing  the  public  to  abandon  all  Protestant  schools,  and 
send  their  daughters  to  be  educated  in  Roman  Catholic 
Cloisters.  The  next  step  may  be,  that  whenever  a  young 
girl,  thus  educated,  is  crossed  in  love,  or  disappointed  in 
securing  a  fashionable  establishment  in  marriage,  she  will 
turn  Nun,  and  take  the  vows  of  the  Ursuline  order ;  and 
wealthy  parents,  who  have  more  daughters  than  they  can 
portion  in  the  style  they  have  been  brought  up,  mav  find  it 
convenient  to  persuade  the  least  beautiful  to  take  the  veil. 
Such  things  are  common  among  the  aristocracies  of  Europe . 
Why  may  they  not  be  introduced  here,  if  public  opinion  is 
found  to  favor  the  establishment  of  Convents  ? 

The  highly  respectable  Committee  appointed  by  the  citi- 
zens of  Boston,  not  to  eulogize  the  Convent,  but  solely  "  to 
investiga^  the  proceedings  of  the  night  of  the  riot,  and  to 
adopt  every  suitable  mode  of  bringing  the  authors  and 
abettors  of  the  outrage  to  justice,"  say  in  their  elaborate 
vindication  of  that  institution,  that  "  the  number  of  pupils 
has  varied  from  forty  to  sixty,  during  each  of  the  past  five 
years,  being  for  the  most  part  daughters  of  those  among 
the  most  respectable  families  in  the  country,  of  various  re- 
,ligious  denominations,  the  number  of  Catholics  never  ex- 
ceeding TEN  at  any  one  time.  No  means  were  taken  (say 
the  Committee)  to  influence  or  affect  their  religious  opi- 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

nions,  nor  can  it  he  ascertained  that  any  pupil  placed  under 
their  charge  for  the  purposes  of  education  has  been  con- 
verted from  any  other  to  the  Catholic  faith,  or  induced  to 
become  a  member  of  the  Community." 

The  Superior  of  the  Convent,  in  her  testimony  on  the 
trial  ef  the  rioters,  declared  that  the  vows  of  her  religious 
order  are  "  POVERTY,  chastity,  and  obedience  ;  to  separate 
themselves  from  the  world,  and  to  follow  the  instructions 
of  the  Superior."  She  also  testified  that  the  institution  at 
Mount  Benedict  was  supported  by  the  profits  of  the  school ; 
that  it  was  out  of  debt,  and  all  the  property  paid  for,  be- 
sides more  than  a  thousand  dollars  in  cash  in  her  private 
drawer,  which  she  had  not  counted  for  a  year !  (an  evi- 
dence of "  poverty,"  by  the  way,  which  most  people  who 
take  no  vows  to  become  paupers  would  rejoice  to  have  in 
their  possession.)  She  further  testified  that  there  were  no 
funds  but  those  arising  from  the  pupils,  and  that  she  and 
her  sisters  in  the  Ursutine  Community  were  supported  out 
of  that  fund ;  this  whole  "  Community,"  so  supported,  con- 
sisting of"  eight  Nuns  and  two  Novices  at  the  Convent." 

Both  the  Superior  and  the  Bishop  testified  that  the  pro- 
perty of  the  Nunnery  which  was  destroyed  amounted  to 
fifty'thousand  dollars,  exclusive  of  the  real  estate  and  ap- 
purtenances. 

Now  put  these  facts  together,  and  what  are  we  called  on  to 
believe  ?  Why,  that  a  capital  of  at  least  SIXTY  THOUSAND 
DOLLARS  (which  invested  in  stocks  would  have  yielded  a 
revenue  of  three  thousand  six  hundred  dollars  annually) 
was  set  apart  and  put  into  the  splendid  and  sumptuous  esta- 
blishment at  Mount  Benedict,  for  the  purpose  of  supporting 
ten  females  who  had  taken  on  themselves  vows  of  POVERTY, 
and  also  for  the  purpose  of  educating  ten  Roman  Catholic 
children !  Was  there  ever  greater  disparity  between  means 
employed  and  the  professed  ends  for  which  those  means 
are  said  to  be  employed  ? 

The  Nunnery,  therefore,  could  not  have  been  designed 
merely  as  a  family  residence,  or  as  a  place  of  worship  for 
ten  females  under  vows  of  "  POVERTY,"  nor  could  so  exten- 
sive an  institution  have  been  erected  to  educate  ten  Catho- 
lic children.  Neither  could  the  Nuns  themselves  be  am- 
bitious of  public  distinction  as  eminent  teachers,  for  they 
had  vowe_Q  "  to  separate  themselves  from  the  world !" 

The  primary  object,  then,  must  have  been,  not  to  provide 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

a  place  for  the  religious  devotion  of  Roman  Catholics,  but 
to  establish  a  seminary  for  the  education  of  the  daughters 
of  Protestants.  This  is  proved  by  the  public  advertise- 
ments of  the  Superior,  and  the  agencies  established  in  New 
Orleans  and  other  cities,  to  procure  Protestant  pupils  for 
the  Charlestown  Nunnery.  If  then  it  was  a  mere  school, 
it  has  no  claim  to  sanctity,  and  should  be  open  to  examina- 
tion, like  the  schools  of  Protestants.  We  protest  against 
claiming  religious  sanctity  for  a  school  for  girls.  If  the 
Nunnery  was  a  place  for  disseminating  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic religion,  then  the  children  of  Protestants  should  not  be 
sent  there  to  learn  that  religion.  But  if  it  was  a  school  to 
educate  Protestant  girls,  then  the  whole  interior  discipline 
of  both  pupils  and  teachers  ought  to  be  known. 

But  why  should  Roman  Catholics  establish  so  costly  a 
seminary  m  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  to  educate  the  daughters 
of  Protestants  ?  Could  it  have  originated  in  the  disinte- 
rested benevolence  of  a  foreign  lady,  brought  up  in  the  se- 
clusion of  a  Convent  in  Canada,  who,  with  her  five  sisters 
similarly  educated,  should  have  taken  such  a  deep  interest 
in  the  young  ladies  of  Boston  and  the  United  States,  as  to 
form  so  extensive  an  establishment  to  enable  them  to  obtain 
an  accomplished  education  ? 

Or  could  the  intelligent  Catholic  Bishop  of  Boston  have 
been  so  deeply  impressed  with  the  total  neglect  of  female 
education  in  Boston  and  its  vicinity,  as  to  be  at  all  this 
trouble  and  expense  for  the  sole  benefit  of  the  daughters 
of  heretics,  without  the  least  design,  as  the  Boston  Com- 
mittee affirm,  to  use  the  slightest  means  to  influence  or 
affect  their  religious  opinions  ?  Neither  the  Bishop  nor  the 
Superior  could  have  looked  to  this  establishment  as  a 
source  of  pecuniary  profit,  because  that  would  be  to  compel 
the  Nuns  to  become  teachers  for  filthy  lucre,  and  thus  vio- 
late their  vow  of"  POVERTY  !" 

If,  then,  no  mercenary  views  were  connected  with  the 
establishment  of  the  Nunnery,  and  there  was  no  lack  of 
good  Protestant  schools  for  Protestant  females,  (certainly 
much  better  than  the  Nunnery  proved  to  be,)  where  was 
the  motive  ?  "  It  was  disinterested  benevolence  !"  say 
the  friends  of  the  Convent.  Perhaps  we  could  have  be- 
lieved it  was,  if  the  avowed  object  of  the  institution  had 
been  to  convert  the  children  of  heretics  to  the  true  faith,  in 
order  to  save  them  from  eternal  destruction.  Look  at  it  in 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

this  view  a  moment.  Here  were  eight  females  having  the 
charge  of  fifty  amiable  and  interesting  girls,  and  believing 
on  their  souls  that  every  one  of  these  children  were  misera- 
ble heretics,  who  must  be  damned  to  all  eternity,  unless 
they  embraced  the  Roman  Catholic  faith  !  If  the  Superior 
and  her  Nuns  did  not  honestly  believe  this,  then  their  reli- 
gion is  a  cheat  or  they  were  hypocrites.  We  draw  no  such 
conclusion,  but  doubt  not  they  sincerely  believed  the  infal- 
lible creed_  of  "  mother  churcn,"  that  these  children,  with 
all  their  winning  attractions,  must  inevitably  be  shut  out 
of  all  hopes  of  heaven,  unless  they  were  converted  to  Ro- 
manism. Could  pious  and  benevolent  ladies,  day  after 
day,  and  year  after  year;  see  their  own  children,  as  it  were, 
placed  in  this  awful  peril,  and  not  make  an  effort  to  save 
them  from  eternal  destruction?  What  should  we  say  of  a 
pious  clergyman,  at  the  head  of  a  seminary,  who  should 
nave  fifty  boys  in  his  school,  whose  parents  had  brought 
them  up  to  deny  God  and  ridicule  the  Scriptures,  and  yet 
he  should  boast  publicly  that  he  had  "  taken  no  means  to 
influence  or  affect  their  religious  opinions,"  and  had  "  never 
exacted  their  attendance  upon  religious  services  ?"  Is  not 
this  the  light  in  which  the  Boston  Committee  represent  the 
Superior  of  the  Convent  and  the  Bishop,  if  they  really  have 
made  no  effort,  for  five  years,  to  save  the  precious  souls  of 
fifty  interesting  female  children,  intrusted  by  heretics  to 
their  paternal  care  ? 

Most  assuredly  it  is ;  and  if  what  they  say  of  the  Con- 
vent in  this  particular  be  true,  it  takes  away  the  last  pos- 
sible pretence  for  getting  up  that  institution — benevolence. 
Had  the  Superior  or  the  Bishop  suffered  one  of  the  Protes- 
tant pupils  to  have  walked  in  her  sleep  out  of  the  window, 
and  lost  her  life,  when  timely  caution  might  have  prevented 
it,  with  what  horror  the  community  would  have  heard  of 
such  an  outrage.  And  yet  the  Boston  Committee  ask  us 
to  believe  that  all  the  Priests  and  Nuns  at  the  Convent 
religiously  believed  that  the  fifty  children  they  had  under 
their  daily  care  were  walking  in  the  sleep  of  spiritual 
death,  liable  every  moment  to  fall  into  eternal  perdition, 
but  they  would  not  reach  forth  a  hand  to  save  them  !  "  No 
means  were  taken  to  influence  or  affect  their  religious  opi- 
nions!" It  seems  to  us  that  it  would  be  more  honorable 
to  the  establishment  at  Mount  Benedict,  to  prove  that  it 
was  designed  to  save  the  daughters  of  heretics  from  perdU 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

lion,  by  making  them  good  Catholics  ;  and  in  point  ol  fact 
we  believe  the  Committee  were  mistaken.  There  are  pu- 
pils from  the  Nunnery  who  declare  that  serious  attempts 
were  made  to  affect  their  religious  opinions ;  and  in  truth 
could  it  possibly  be  otherwise,  with  ingenuous  girls,  living 
in  the  romantic  atmosphere  of  a  Roman  Catholic  Nunne- 
ry, with  all  the  mysterious  and  externally  imposing  cere- 
monies of  that  religion  constantly  passing  before  their 
eyes  and  ears,  in  a  portion  of  which  they  daily  partici- 
pated ?  If  any  one  desired  to  possess  the  power  of  giving 
a  color  to  the  impressions  of  after  life,  would  he  ask  for 
better  means  than  these  ? 

If  then  the  object  of  establishing  Catholic  Nunneries  to 
educate  Protestant  girls  is  neither  pecuniary  profit,  world- 
ly honor,  or  disinterested  benevolence,  is  it  uncharitable  to 
conjecture  that  the  real  design  must  be  to  give  to  Catholics 
a  controlling  influence  over  the  minds  of  our  youth,  and 
disseminate  their  tenets,  by  an  imperceptible,  winning  way 
of  not  seeming  to  disseminate  them  at  all  ?  At  any  rate, 
as  the  education  of  our  daughters  is  a  matter  of  such  vital 
importance  to  the  purity  of  society,  can  we  know  too  much 
of  the  interior  discipline  of  an  institution  in  which  they 
have  been  placed  without  their  parents  ever  being  permit- 
ted to  enter  any  part  of  the  school  or  the  Nunnery,  except 
a  common  visiting  parlor  to  which  the  pupils  a'nd  their 
instructors  are  called,  whenever  they  are  seen  by  the  pub- 
lic eye  ? 

These  are  some  of  the  considerations  which  have  led  to 
the  publication  of  the  unpretending  narrative  that  will  be 
found  in  this  little  book.  It  has  been  committed  to  the 
press  after  a  long,  deliberate,  and,  we  may  add,  prayerful 
consideration  of  the  dictates  of  justice,  truth,  and  religion. 
The  existence  of  such  a  narrative  in  manuscript,  and  vari- 
ous and  unfounded  speculations  as  to  the  nature  of  its 
contents,  have  been  connected  with  the  destruction  of  the 
Convent,  and  have  given  rise  to  many  injurious  and  un- 
kind misrepresentations  cf  the  motives  of  its  author,  ever 
since  that  outrage  was  committed.  Individuals  in  private, 
and  committees  in  public  reports,  have  made  the  sup- 
posed contents  of  this  narrative  the  basis  of  a  formidable 
"conspiracy,  extending  into  many  of  the  neighboring 
towns,"  resulting  in  the  final  burning  of  the  Convent,  on 
the  llth  of  August,  1S34.  Others  have  supposed  that  it 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

would  disclose  terrible  scenes  of  personal  profligacy  and 
inquisitorial  tortures :  but  both  classes  who  have  so 
judged  have  entirely  misapprehended  the  character  of  the 
narrative,  and  of  its  author.  Under  these  contradictory 
impressions,  one  portion  of  the  community  have  been 
urging  the  immediate  publication  of  the  Narrative,  while 
others  have  threatened  its  author,  and  those  who  should 
undertake  its  publication,  with  a  worse  excommunication 
and  denunciation  than  was  inflicted  upon  Luther  for  his 
temerity.  Nevertheless.  "  the  more  thinking  and  judicious 
part  of  mankind,"  who  have  had  an  opportunity  of  learn- 
ing the  facts,  have  "  looked  upon  the  publication"  of  the 
whole  matter  "  as  the  wisest  step,  even  in  a  worldly  and 
prudential  light,  which  could  possibly  be  taken  to  render 
contemptible  and  abortive"  the  attempts  that  have  been 
made  and  are  still  making  to  silence  the  press,  to  condemn 
all  who  condemn  Convents,  and  to  injure  the  peace  of 
mind  and  destroy  the  delicate  reputation  of  the  daughter 
of  one  of  our  native  citizens,  in  order  to  justify  a  foreign 
institution  established  among  us  under  the  control  of  a 
hierarchy  adverse  to  a  republican  form  of  government. 

We  have  not  believed  that  it  became  American  Chris- 
tians or  American  citizens  to  offer  up,  on  the  altar  of  a 
Roman  Catholic  Convent,  the  character  of  one  of  our  own 
unoffending  daughters,  who,  after  having  been  drawn  into 
the  Romisn  Church,  by  the  exterior  romantic  attractions 
of  a  Nunnery  patronized  by  Protestants,  has  had  the 
Christian  fortitude  to  escape  from  the  dark  meshes  in 
which  her  mind  had  been  entangled,  and  to  disclose,  in 
the  simple  language  of  truth,  all  that  she  saw,  heard,  and 
felt,  while  under  this  delusion.  From  a  careful  examina- 
tion of  this  subject,  we  are  led  to  view  it  as  a  remarkable 
evidence  of  conscious  innocence  and  integrity,  as  well  as 
piety  and  firmness,  that  a  young  and  delicate  female, 
of  timid  and  retiring  habits,  of  extreme  sensibility,  and 
with  her  health  seriously  impaired  by  religious  auste- 
rities and  seclusion,  should  have  been  enabled  to  main- 
tain so  much  consistency,  mildness,  and  propriety  in 
all  she  has  said,  written,  or  done  in  relation  to  her  con- 
nection with  the  Ursuline  Convent :  and  that  too  when 
much  of  the  weahh  and  talent  of  this  great  city  has  been 
enlisted  in  defending  and  eulogizing  that  establishment, 
and  in  denouncing  as  participators  in  or  approvers  of  the 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

riot,  all  who  called  in  question  the  sanctity  of  its  inmates, 
and  the  propriety  of  Protestants  sending  their  daughters 
there.  We  have  never  discovered  in  the  feelings  or  lan- 
guage of  Miss  R.  the  slightest  indication  of  resentment 
toward  that  Community  or  its  Superior,  nor  will  it  be  de- 
tected in  any  portion  of  her  Narrative,  which  it  seems  to 
us  no  person  of  an  unbiased  mind  can  peruse  without  feel- 
ing a  conviction  not  to  be  resisted,  that  it  is  the  unaffected 
language  of  truth  and  innocence. 

The  circumstances  under  which  this  relation  of  a  six 
months'  residence  in  the  Ursuline  Convent  at  Charlestown, 
was  originally  prepared,  and  which  have  led  to  its  present 
publication,  are  material  in  forming  an  estimate  of  the 
degree  of  credit  that  may  confidently  be  attached  to  it. 
We  wish  it  to  be  distinctly  understood  that  the  publication 
is  not  made  at  the  instigation,  or  on  the  responsibility  of 
the  author.  On  the  contrary,  she  has  very  reluclantly 
yielded  to  the  force  of  circumstances  and  the  dictates  of 
duty,  which,  in  the  opinion  of  her  friends  and  the  friends 
of  truth,  have  left  no  oilier  course  proper  to  be  pursued  ; 
and  has  placed  her  manuscript  at  their  disposal.  If  then 
there  is  an  error  of  judgment  in  giving  this  work  publicity, 
it  belongs  to  the  friends  of  Miss  K.,  and  to  many  of  our 
most  sedate  and  respectable  citizens  who  have  advised 
with  them,  and  not  to  herself.  The  design  of  the  publica- 
tion on  our  part,  is  to  vindicate  her  from  unjust  and  un- 
manly aspersions  which  some  friends  of  the  Convent  have 
indulged  in  toward  her,  <md  especially  to  advance  the 
cause  of  truth.  \Ve  earnestly  hope  and  believe  that  this 
little  work,  if  universally  diffused,  will  do  more,  by  its 
unaffected  simplicity,  in  deterring  Protestant  parents  from 
educating  their  daughters  at  Catholic  Nunneries,  than 
could  the  most  labored  and  learned  discourses  on  the  dan- 
gers of  Popery.  And  if  it  has  ibis  blessed  effect  in  guard- 
ing the  young  women  of  our  land  against  the  danger  of 
early  impressions  imbibed  at  Convents  in  favor  of  a  form 
of  religion  which  is  to  be  tolcmtud  but  never  to  be  encou- 
raged in  a  free  country,  it  will  do  more  even  than  the 
laws  can  do  in  suppressing  such  outrages  as  the  riot  at 
Charlestown;  for  if  Protestant  parents  will  resolve  to 
educate  their  (laughters  at  Protestant  schools,  and  patro- 
nize no  more  Nunneries,  then  no  move  Nunneries  will  be 
estabjjshed  in  this  country,  and  there  will  be  none  for 
ronlfloss  mobs  to  destroy. 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

We  do  not  desire  to  interfere  in  any  manner  with  th» 
religious  privileges  of  Roman  Catholics,  or  with  their 
education  of  their  own  daughters  in  any  form  they  may 
think  proper,  if  not  inconsistent  with  the  laws ;  but  we 
earnestly  hope,  that  Protestant  parents,  before  they  place 
their  children  under  the  tuition  of  either  a  College  of  Je- 
suits or  a  Community  of  Nuns  and  Catholic  Priests,  will 
first  inquire  how  the  proposed  educators  of  their  daughters 
have  themselves  been  educated :  and  what  the  nature  and 
effect  of  the  absurd  superstitions,  the  ascetic  austerities, 
the  ridiculous  penances,  the  secret  confessionals,  the  un- 
checked facilities  for  intrigue,  which  constitute  the  disci- 
pline of  a  Convent,  are  and  must  be  upon  instructors  and 
pupils,  abiding  under  such  influences. 

This  little  Narrative  is  an  unaffected  and  plain  relation 
of  facts,  upon  which  a  correct  opinion  can  be  formed  of  the 
probable  tendencies  of  such  a  system.  It  was  commenced 
111  1832,  and  completed  in  the  winter  of  1833.  Not  one  o< 
tfrose  at  whose  suggestion  it  is  now  published  had  ever 
heard  of  it  until  after  the  destruction  of  the  Convent,  and 
we  are  well  assured  that  very  few  persons  indeed  knew 
that  it  had  ever  been  written,  until  after  the  outrage  at 
Charlestown  had  been  committed.  It  was  placed  in  our 
hands,  as  the  friends  of  truth,  after  the  publicity  of  the 
personal  attacks  which  had  been  made  upon  Miss  R.  with 
singular  unkindness  and  injustice,  through  a  portion  of 
the  public  press,  by  the  constant  and  relentless  calumnies 
of  the  female  superintendent  of  the  Convent,  and  finally 
by  the  illiberal,  and,  we  are  compelled  to  add,  ungenerous, 
Report  of  the  Boston  Investigating  Committee,  in  which 
thirty-eight  gentlemen  of  high  character  (every  one  of 
whom  would  spurn  the  thought  of  deliberately  injuring  an 
unprotected  female)  have  been  induced  to  give  their 
sanction  to  aspersions  and  insinuations  against  a  daughter 
of  one  of  their  own  fellow-citizens,  upon  no  evidence 
whatever,  except  that  derived  from  and  through  the  of- 
fended Superior  of  the  Convent  and  her  Community,  from 
whom  that  daughter  had  escaped,  under  circumstances 
which,  if  true,  render  the  testimony  of  her  accusers  wholly 
unsafe  as  a  guide  to  the  real  character  of  the  interior  of 
the  Nunnery. 

It  has  been  represented  that  the  contents  of  Miss  R.'s 
narrative  were  very  monstrous,  shocking,  and  incredible, 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

and  even  the  charge  of  aberration  of  mind  has  been  re- 
sorted to,  by  those  who  would  have  great  cause  of  thank- 
fulness if  they  were  blessed  with  the  singleness  of  heart 
and  the  unaffected  piety  which  mark  the  character  of  that 
young  lady.  Threats  have  even  been  thrown  out  that  her 
character  should  be  made  to  suffer  if  she  dared  to  publish 
any  thing  against  the  Convent,  and  it  is  understood  that 
the  Boston  Investigating  Committee  upon  the  destruction 
of  the  Convent  wore  urged  to  retain  in  their  Report  the 
harsh  language  toward  Miss  R.  which  had  been  prepared 
by  a  sub-committee,  in  order  to  discredit  by  anticipation 
any  statements  which  might  thereafter  be  made  on  her  au- 
thority, relative  to  the  internal  discipline  of  that  establish- 
ment. We  fully  acquit  the  majority  of  that  very  respecta- 
ble committee  of  any  deliberate  design  to  wound  the 
feelings  and  injure  the  reputation  of  a  lady.  They  acted 
under  the  sudden  and  laudable  impulse  of  manly  resent- 
ment toward  the  authors  of  a  shameless  outrage  committed 
upon  the  residence  of  defenceless  females ;  and  as  the 
ladies  of  the  Convent  were  then  the  most  prominent  suf- 
ferers, and  the  objects  of  universal  public  sympathy,  it  was 
natural,  if  not  excusable,  that  high-minded  men,  in  their 
eagerness  to  redress  their  wrongs,  should  have  become 
unmindful  of  the  rights  of  a  single  individual,  who  was 
represented  by  the  Catholics  and  some  of  their  friends  as 
the  prime  mover  of  the  excitement  against  the  Convent, 
by  reason  of  the  calumnies  she  was  represented  as  having 
circulated  against  it. 

As  one  of  the  material  considerations  which  in  our  opi- 
nion has  rendered  the  publication  of  this  Narrative  indis- 
pensable, we  subjoin  several  extracts  from  the  Report  of 
the  Boston  Committee,  which,  it  will  be  seen,  directly 
attributes  to  Miss  R.  the  principal  origin  of  the  popular 
excitement  that  led  to  the  disgraceful  catastrophe  of  the 
llth  of  August. 

"  It  appeared  immediately  upon  commencing  the  investi- 
gation, that  the  destruction  of  the  Convent  might  be  attri- 
buted primarily  to  a  widely-extended  popular  aversion, 
founded  in  the  belief  that  the  establishment  was  obnoxious 
to  those  imputations  of  cruelty,  vice,  and  corruption,  so  ge- 
nerally credited  of  similar  establishments  in  other  coun- 
tries, and  was  inconsistent  with  the  principles  of  our 
national  institution*,  and  in  violation  of  the  laws  of  the 


16  INTRODUCTION. 

commonwealth  ;  and  which  aversion,  in  the  minds  of 
many,  had  been  fomented  to  hatred,  by  representations  in- 
jurious to  the  moral  reputation  of  the  members  of  that 
Community,  attributing  to  them  impurity  of  conduct,  and 
excessive  cruelties  in  their  treatment  of  each  other  and  of 
the  pupils ;  and  denunciatory  of  the  institution  as  hostile 
in  its  character  and  influence  alike  to  the  laws  of  God  and 
man :  and  also  by  reports  that  one  of  the  sisterhood,  Mrs. 
Mary  John,  formerly  Miss  Elizabeth  Harrison,  after  hav- 
ing fled  from  the  Convent  to  escape  its  persecutions,  and 
then  been  induced  by  the  influence  or  threats  of  Bishop 
Fenwick  to  return,  had  been  put  to  death,  or  secretly  im- 
prisoned or  removed." 

"  The  Committee  have  been  unable  to  find  any  report 
in  circulation  injurious  to  the  reputation  of  the  members  of 
the  Community,  which  may  not  be  traced  to  one  of  the 
above  sources,  or  which  has  any  other  apparent  foundation." 

In  another  part  of  their  Report  the  Committee  say  : — 
"  In  pursuing  their  inquiries  into  the  truth  of  the  injurious 
representations  and  reports  above  referred  to,  members  of 
the  Committee  have  had  an  interview  with  the  young  lady 
upon  whose  authority  they  were  supposed  to  rest."  And 
they  then  proceed  to  give  the  result  of  that  interview  as  if 
derived  from  the  young  lady  herself. 

Again  they  say : — "It  was  doubtless  under  the  influence 
of  these  feelings  and  impressions,  that  some  of  the  conspi- 
rators were  led  to  design  the  destruction  of  the  Convent." 

It  will  be  seen  therefore  that  this  Report  directly 
ascribes  the  origin  of  the  outrage  on  the  Nunnery  to  the 
aversion  and  hatred  fomented  by  injurious  representations 
and  reports,  founded  upon  the  authority  of  Miss  R.,  who 
had  lelt  the  Convent  more  than  two  years  before  it  was 
destroyed  by  a  mob.  The  sub-committee  who  drew  up  the 
Report,  in  fact,  attach  but  very  little  importance  to  the 
escape  of  Miss  Harrison,  (who  was  one  of  the  trustees  of 
the  establishment,)  and  the  exciting  circumstances  attend- 
ing her  leaving  the  Convent  and  her  sudden  return  to  it. 
They  cast  no  censure  on  her,  and  impute  no  indiscretion 
to  her,  or  to  those  who  required  her  to  labor  so  hard  as  a 
teacher  as  to  derange  her  faculties.  They  do  not  inquire 
whether  she  was  really  deranged  or  not,  (of  which  there  is 
no  direct  proof,  and  very  much  against  it,)  and  they  are 
entirely  willing  to  exempt  her,  and  those  who  refused  to 


INTRODUCTION.  17 

explain  promptly  the  cause  of  her  escape,  from  all  possible 
Maine  as  the  real  or  innocent  authors  of  the  mob ;  while  they 
seriously  set  about  affixing  upon  a  humble  Protestant  girl, 
who  had  been  deluded  into  the  Catholic  Church  and 
escaped  from  her  spiritual  thraldom,  all  the  "  injurious 
reports"  that  led  to  the  riot.  Neither  did  the  Committee 
inquire  whether  the  threats  of  the  Superior  to  the  select- 
men of  Charlestown,  that  the  Bishop  could  order  out 
twenty  thousand  Irishmen  to  destroy  their  property  ;  and 
the  insults  which  the  pupils  cast  upon  the  public  authori- 
ties of  the"  town  when  they  visited  that  establishment, 
were  not  sufficient  causes  to  account  for  the  public  excite- 
ment, without  going  back  nearly  three  years,  to  trace  the 
origin  of  a  formidable  conspiracy  to  a  mere  girl ! 

Alter  thus  preparing  the  public  to  regard  with  aversion 
a  "  young  woman"  who  could  have  spent  nearly  three  years 
in  fomenting  hatred  against  the  Convent,  by  means  of  in- 
jurious reports,  until  she  had  produced  an  excitement  that 
Jed  to  the  commission  of  burglary  and  arson  by  a  mob,  the 
Report  of  the  Committee  proceeds  to  give  a  summary  of 
the  whole  of  her  testimony  as  they  profess  to  have  re- 
ceived it  from  her  own  mouth. 

And  how  did  they  arrive  at  their  version  of  all  that  Miss 
11.  authorized  or  did  not  authorize,  relative  to  reports  af- 
fecting the  character  of  the  Nunnery  ?  Two  members  of 
the  Committee,  it  seems,  had  one  interview  with  the 
young  lady,  to  whom  they  were  entire  strangers,  and  out 
of  that  interview  they  derive  materials  for  disposing  of  the 
whole  matter,  in  a  very  summary  manner.  It  should  be 
borne  in  mind  that  just  before  the  Report  conies  to  this 
conclusion,  it  deliberately  asserts  that  the  Committee 
were  "  unable  to  find  any  report  in  circulation,  injurious  to 
the  members  of  the  Convent,"  which  was  not  traced  either 
to  Miss  R.  or  to  the  reports  which  grew  out  of  the  elope- 
ment of  Miss  Harrison.  There  is  then  introduced  a  for- 
mal disclaimer  for  Miss  R.,  followed  by  a  classification  of 
'uer  supposed  testimony,  from  which  the  Report  arrives  at 
the  happy  conclusion  that  Miss  £.  had  in  fact  said  nothing 
against  the  Convent  amounting  to  any  thing,  and  that 
all  she  did  say  was  entirely  discredited  :  and  yet  she  is 
indirectly  held  up  to  the  public  odium  in  that  Report  as  the 
author  of  the  mob,  and  her  testimony  discredited  by  con- 
trast with  that  of  the  ladies  of  the  Convent,  when  by  the 


18  INTRODUCTION. 

showing  of  the  Report  itself  she  had  said  nothing  really 
injurious  to  the  Convent !  Why  then  was  she  injured  in 
this  public  manner,  on  the  pretence  that  other  people  had 
circulated  false  reports  in  her  name,  which  reports  she 
never  heard  of  and  the  Committee  do  not  specify  ? 

The  two  gentlemen  of  the  Committee  who  had  the  inter- 
view with  Miss  R.  say  for  her,  that  "  she  entirely  dis- 
claimed most  of  the  reports  passing  under  the  sanction  of 
her  name,  and  particularly  all  affecting  the  moral  purity 
of  the  members  of  the  institution,  or  the  ill  treatment  of 
the  pupils  under  their  care:"  and  this  disclaimer  is  pub- 
lished in  Italics,  as  if  it  were  the  precise  language  of  Miss 
R.  But  it  is  not  her  language,  nor  did  she  ever  authorize 
any  such  public  disclaimer  to  be  made  for  her.  "  Dis- 
claimed most  of  the  reports  passing  under  the  sanction  of 
her  name,"  say  the  Committee  !  If  the  reports  had  the 
sanction  of  her  name,  then  she  must  have  authorized 
them.  But  what  were  the  reports  passing  under  her 
name  ?  Miss  R.  never  heard  of  any  reports  passing  under 
her  name,  except  those  found  in  her  Narrative.  Did  the 
two  gentlemen  whom  Miss  R.  (mistaking  for  friends,  and 
not  suspecting  they  came  to  get  materials  to  injure  hci 
veracity)  consented  to  see,  though  reluctantly,  the  third 
time  they  called  for  that  purpose — did  these  gentlemen  de- 
scribe to  her  a  single  specific  report  as  passing  under  her 
name,  and  ask  her  if  it  was  true  7  If  she  disclaimed  mast 
of  the  reports  passing  under  her  name,  what  were  those 
"  most,"  and  what  were  the  remainder  of  the  reports  she 
did  not  disclaim  ?  Could  specific  reports  be  disclaimed 
by  her,  when  Miss  R.  was  not  apprized  what  the  reports 
were  that  the  Committee  say  were  passing  under  the 
sanction  of  her  name  ? 

Then  as  to  the  formal  disclaimer  of  all  reports  affecting 
the  moral  purity  of  the  members,  &c.  Miss  R.,  as  the  gen- 
tlemen subsequently  admitted,  used  no  such  language  as 
this.  "  Moral  purity"  is  a  wide  phrase,  and  as  here  used 
it  implies  that  Miss  R.  had  never  witnessed  any  thing  at 
the  Convent  which  was  morally  wrong.  Had  the  Com- 
mittee confined  this  disclaimer  to  any  imputations  on  fe- 
male virtue,  they  would  have  been  correct;  and  would  not 
have  fallen  into  the  error  of  doing  great  injustice  to  one 
lady,  in  their  zeal  to  vindicate  others.  The  gentlemen 
who  called  on  Miss  R.  cannot  have  forgotten  that  she 


INTRODUCTION.  19 

declined  saying  any  thins  on  this  subject,  and  that  the 
language  introduced  into  the  Report  is  their  own  inference. 
In  relation  to  the  ill  treatment  of  the  pipils,  there  was  no 
disclaimer  at  all.  One  of  the  gentlemen  who  called  on 
Miss  R.  has  frankly  admitted  this,  and  he  would  have 
corrected  that  portion  of  the  Repo  -t,  had  it  not  been  be- 
yond his  control  when  the  error  was  pointed  out  to  him. 
On  his  part  a  highly  honorable  disposition  was  evinced  to 
correct  the  unjust  advantage  which  had  been  taken  of  a 
private  conversation  with  a  lady,  who  had  no  suspicion 
she  was  undergoing  a  public  examination,  in  an  inter- 
view which  she  understood  was  friendly  and  confiden- 
tial. 

After  these  disclaimers,  the  Report  classifies  what  it 
terms  Miss  R.'s  "  accusations"  under  the  heads  of"  severe 
penance,"  "  restraints  upon  members  of  the  Community," 
and  penances  inflicted  upon  a  Nun  in  her  last  illness, 
by  which  her  life  was  shortened.  And  in  order  to  leave 
no  mistake  in  the  inference  that  all  these  disclaimers  and 
assertions  are  derived  from  Miss  R.  herself,  as  the  whole 
sum  and  substance  of  her  experience  at  the  Convent,  the 
Report  sums  up  with  this  conclusion : — 

'  From  HER  statement,  therefore,  it  is  evident  that  there 
could  be,  except  in  the  subject  of  the  last  accusation,  no 
cause  of  pu/jlic  complaint,  inasmuch  as  the  other  evils 
alleged,  if  existing,  were  confined  to  those  who  were 
voluntarily  members  of  the  institution,  affecting  neither 
the  property  nor  the  happiness  of  other  individuals,  nor 
tending  in  any  wise  to  the  Injury  of  the  public  morals,  or  a 
violation  of  law." 

In  other  words,  shortening  the  life  of  a  Nun  by  severe 
penances,  inflicted  in  her  "  last  illness,"  would  be  a  cause 
of  public  complaint  against  a  Convent ;  but  severe  penances 
and  restraints,  however  destructive  of  health,  which  Nuns 
and  Novitiates  might  be  compelled  to  suffer,  before  their 
"  last,  illness,"  would  furnish  no  ground  for  any  complaint 
at  all,  provided  they  survived  the  cruelty  inflicted  by  su- 
perstition !  Upon  the  same  reasoning,  the  slow  tortures 
of  the  Inquisition  might  have  been  introduced  into  the 
Monastery  at  Mount  Benedict,  and  so  long  as  they  were 
confined  to  the  "  voluntary  members,"  and  did  not  result 
in  the  actual  death  of  their  victims,  there  would  be  "  no 
cause  of  public  complaint,"  because  while  the  infernal  pro- 


20 


INTRODUCTION. 


cess  of  cruelty  was  kept  secret  within  the  walls  of  a  dun- 
geon, it  could  not  in  any  wise  injure  the  public  morals  ! 
The  Bramins  of  the  East  argued  in  the  same  way  against 
ihe  interference  of  the  British  with  the  privilege  ot  widows 
being  voluntarily  burned  on  the  funeral  pile  of  their  hus- 
bands. They  insisted  that  it  "  affected  neither  the  pro- 
perty nor  the  happiness  of  other  individuals,"  that  it  was 
an  ancient  custom,  and  in  fact  promoted  the  "public 
morals,"  by  insuring  the  wife's  solicitude  for  her  husband 
while  living,  and  her  fidelity  after  his  death. 

Is  it  not  also  remarkable,  that  the  Report  of  the  Boston 
Committee  could  have  come  to  the  conclusion,  that  although 
fifty  Protestant  girls  were  placed  under  the  entire  control 
and  instruction  of  a  community  of  eight  Nuns,  one  of  whom 
had  been  obliged  to  labor  so  hard  as  a  teacher  as  to  driv« 
her  to  madness,  yet  it  was  "  no  cause  of  public  complaint," 
even  admitting  mat  the  persons  thus  intrusted  with  giving 
the  first  impressions  to  young  ladies  were  in  the  daily 
practice  of  superstitiously  inflicting  upon  each  other,  and 
upon  themselves,  severe  penances,  rigorous  restraints,  and 
all  the  absurd  cruelties  imposed  by  monastic  religious  dis- 
cipline ? 

We  have  no  wish  to  say  one  word  disrespectful  to  the 
gentlemen  who  signed  the  Report  of  the  Boston  Investigat- 
ing Committee.  Their  motives  were  highly  honorable. 
But  there  were  some  few  acting  in  the  Committee  without 
any  legitimate  authority,  (for  the  original  committee  had  no 
power  to  increase  their  number,)  whose  zeal  to  vindicate 
the  Convent  and  its  Protestant  patrons  made  them  forget 
what  was  due  to  the  daughter  of  an  American  citizen. 
This  is  painfully  obvious  in  the  manner  in  which  Miss  R. 
has  been  introduced  into  that  Report,  without  her  know- 
ledge or  consent.  She  was  not  calied  as  a  witness  before 
the  Committee,  so  that  each  might  have  judged  of  her  in- 
telligence for  himself.  They  did  not  see  her  narrative  of 
her  residence  at  the  Nunnery,  nor  did  she  make  a  single 
"  accusation"  to  them  against  the  Convent.  Neither  had 
she  or  her  friends  any  notice  of  the  written  and  spoken 
"  accusations"  which  were  made  to  the  Committee  by 
'Mrs.  MofTatt,  Superior  of  the  Convent,  against  Miss  R. ; 
and  no  opportunity  was  given,  though  it  was  asked  for,  to 
enable  the  friends  of  Miss  R.  to  protect  her  against  that 
portion  of  the  Report  designed  to  affect  her  character  inju- 


INTRODUCTION.  21 

riously.  The  whole  process  was  sending  two  gentlemen, 
to  converse  an  hour  with  her  alone,  under  an  assurance  of 
friendly  confidence,  without  apprizing  her  that  any  public 
use  whatever  was  to  be  made  of  the  conversation,  or  inti- 
mating to  her  that  the  entire  truth  of  her  relations  had 
been  or  would  be  called  in  question.  Though  disposed  to 
respect  the  motives  of  the  gentlemen  who  called  on  Miss 
R.,  and  obtained  a  portion  of  her  confidence  for  a  purpose 
which  was  certainly  concealed  from  her  at  the  time  ;  they 
must  permit  us  to  say  that  they  did  their  own  high  sense 
of  honor,  as  well  as  Miss  R.,  great  injustice,  when  they 
allowed  a  public  use  to  be  made  of  a  private  conversa- 
tion with  a  lady,  wao  did  not  consent  to  see  them  until  they 
called  the  third  time,  who  then  referred  them  to  another 
person  for  information,  and  who  would  not  have  seen  them 
at  all,  could  she  have  conjectured  that  the  object  was  to 
obtain  the  means  of  discrediting  her  veracitv,  and  introduc- 
ing her  before  the  public  in  the  unjust  and  unkind  man- 
ner she  is  treated  in  that  Report. 

But  the  gentlemen  who  nave  mistaken  the  point  of 
honor  as  well  as  justice  in  this  transaction,  have  the 

Eower  in  their  own  hands,  to  use  it  as  they  think  proper; 
jr,  unfortunately,  their  interview  with  Miss  R.  took 
Elace  without  any  friend  on  her  part  being  present.  In 
ict,  the  strong  bias  of  that  Report  to  justify  the  Convent 
at  the  expense  of  all  whose  statements  had  affected  it  in- 
juriously, must  be  apparent,  when  we  find  gentlemen  of 
the  highest  character  and  integrity,  sitting  as  an  impartial 
tribunal,  proceeding  first  to  collect  the  asseverations  of  the 
Superior,  her  Nuns,  and  the  Catholic  Priests,  as  to  the 
purity  of  their  own  conduct,  and  their  version  of  the  con- 
duct of  Miss  R.,  who  had  escaped  from  them  ;  then  sending 
a  committee,  as  private  gentlemen,  to  call  on  that  lady  with 
assurances  of  friendly  confidence  and  religious  fellowship, 
and  introducing  into  a  public  report  the  alleged  results  of 
that  interview,  as  "  her  statement,"  which  is  used  in  order 
to  show  that  "  her  statement"  is  not  to  be  believed  ! 

The  only  grounds  on  which  the  Committee  in  that  Re- 
port justify  their  unkind  treatment  of  Miss  R.,  is,  that 
"  it  is  stated  (so  and  so)  by  the  ladies  of  the  institution." 
This  statement,  which  comes  solely  from  the  party  accused, 
an  impartial  committee  receive  as  conclusive  evidence  of 
the  purity  and  propriety  of  all  the  proceedings  at  the  Coa- 
vent,  ana  upon  this  evidence  they  discredit  Miss"R. ' 


» 


INTRODUCTION. 


Is  it  not,  indeed,  very  remarkable,  that  that  young  lady 
should  have  been  the  only  individual  singled  out  in  the  Re- 
port of  the  Committee,  the  only  person  whose  testimony  is 
formally  stated  in  order  to  be  discredited,  especially  when 
it  is  recollected  that  she  was  the  only  person  who  was 
acquainted  with  the  interior  discipline  of  the  Convent,  and 
whose  evidence  could  be  used  to  disclose  any  thing  wrong, 
if  any  thing  wrong  existed  there  ?  The  Committee  had  no 
such  design,  but  how  natural  was  it  for  the  friends  of  the 
Superior,  imbibing  her  strong  dislike  to  a  seceder  from  the 
Convent,  to  infuse  into  the  Report  an  ingredient  of  malice 
which  to  the  whole  Committee  bore  the  semblance  of  truth. 
The  Attorney-General,  in  his  eloquent  denunciation  of  the 
rioters,  said  that  the  age  of  chivalry  was  gone  here,  for  no 
one  stepped  forward  to  rescue  the  property  of  the  Convent 
from  a  mob.  Was  there  any  less  want  of  chivalry  when 
thirty-eight  gentlemen  brought  all  their  influence  to  bear 
against  a  young  lady,  and  condemned  her  unheard  ? 

It  was  on  the  appearance  of  this  Report,  reflecting  upoa 
the  character  of  a  young  lady,  (who  had  apparently  com- 
mitted no  error,  except  suffering  her  romantic  credulity  to 
lead  her  to  renounce  the  religion  in  which  she  had  been 
brought  up,  lor  the  supposed  sanctity  and  seclusion  of  a 
Nunnery,)  that  a  number  of  her  friends  and  the  friends 
of  truth  felt  that  something  was  due  to  a  defenceless 
daughter  of  one  of  our  own  citizens,  and  that  she  ought 
not  to  be  exposed  to  censure  for  disclosing  any  facts  con- 
nected with  the  Convent,  if  they  were  such  as  ought  to 
put  Protestant  parents  on  their  guard  against  educating 
their  daughters  at  Catholic  Cloisters. 

They  began  to  doubt  whether  something  was  not  wrong, 
when  they  found  it  a  part  of  the  plan  of  those  most  zeal- 
ous in  eulogizing  the  Convent,  to  destroy  the  reputation 
of  a  female  who  had  returned  to  the  Protestant  faith,  and 
whose  only  faults  were  that  her  religion  had  been  affected 
by  Catholic  influence,  that  it  led  her  to  become  a  novitiate 
in  the  Convent,  that  she  had  left  it  as  soon  as  she  be- 
came sensible  of  the  tendency  of  such  a  system  of  religious 
discipline  as  was  practised  there,  and  had  not  shrunk 
from  telling  the  plain  truth  to  her  friends  and  her  religious 
teacher  in  explanation  of  her  own  conduct  during  her  con- 
nection with  the  Nunnery.  It  was  understood  that  great 
efforts  had  been  made  by  a  portion  of  the  Investigating 


INTRODUCTION. 

Committee,  aided  by  the  amiable  and  pious  clergyman 
before  alluded  to,  to  exclude  from  the  Report  all  direct  al- 
lusion to  Miss  R. ;  and  but  for  the  earnestness  with  which 
the  sacrifice  of  that  young  lady  was  urged  by  a  few,  this 
desirable  object  would  have  been  accomplished,  and  the 
publication  of  Miss  R.'s  narrative  been  rendered  unnecessa- 
ry for  her  vindication.  The  same  facts  and  arguments  to 
rebut  the  supposed  allegations  against,  the  Convent  might 
have  been  introduced  into  the  Report,  without  any  personal 
reference  to  Miss  R.  But  it  seems  to  have  been  the  design 
of  a  portion  of  that  Report,  (in  which,  however,  we  are  satis- 
fied nut  a  small  number  of  the  Committee  participated,)  to 
attribute  all  the  stories  injurious  to  the  Convent  to  Miss  R., 
to  represent  her  as  the  author  of  monstrous,  undefined 
calumnies,  and  then  make  use  of  a  conversation  held  with 
her,  in  the  absence  of  all  her  friends,  to  discredit  her  tes- 
timony generally,  and  in  all  matters  resting  upon  her 
statement  on  one  side,  and  the  contradiction  of  the  female 
superintendent  of  the  Convent  on  the  other,  to  give  a  de- 
cided preponderance  in  public  opinion  to  the  latter. 

Nevertheless,  though  the  injustice  of  this  proceeding 
was  apparent  to  those  best  acquainted  with  the  real  facts 
in  the  case,  it  was  equally  apparent  that  while  the  excite- 
ment consequent  on  the  infamous  outrage  upon  the  proper- 
ty of  the  owners  and  occupants  of  the  Convent  was  at  its 
height,  it  would  be  in  vain  to  appeal  to  the  public  for  a 
candid  estimate  of  the  real  merits  of  the  case  at  issue.  It 
was  also  considered,  that  it  might  be  regarded  as  an  at- 
tempt to  influence  the  public  in  relation  to  the  important 
trials  then  pending,  should  such  an  appeal  be  made  through 
the  public  press.  The  injustice,  therefore,  was  submitted 
to  in  silence,  until  the  public  mind  should  be  quieted,  and 
a  legal  examination,  under  oath,  take  place  of  the  ex  parte 
and  exaggerated  investigation  which  had  been  held  be- 
fore the  Boston  Committee,  who  had  embodied  the  vague 
stories  of  voluntary  witnesses,  related  not  under  oath,  but 
in  secret,  under  an  assurance  that  the  names  of  the  wit- 
nesses were  to  be  concealed,  so  that  whether  they  testilied 
truly  or  falselv  they  were  certain  of  being  shielded  from 
all  responsibility.  In  short,  it  was  the  determination  of 
the  friends  of  Miss  R.,  in  conformity  with  her  wishes,  not 
to  give  publicity  to  her  narrative,  unless  it  became  indis- 
pensable to  the  cause  of  truth,  nor  then,  until  such  dispo- 


INTRODUCTION. 

sition  had  been  made  of  the  pending  prosecutions  of  the 
rioters,  as  to  render  such  a  course  free  from  all  just  im- 
putation of  an  attempt  to  interfere  with  the  public  justice. 

Scarcely,  however,  had  those  trials  before  the  Supreme 
Court  sitting  at  Cambridge  terminated,  when  a  still  more 
unjust  attempt  was  made  to  injure  the  character  of  Miss 
R.,  and  hold  her  up  to  public  indignation  as  the  prim? 
mover  of  the  conspiracy  which  led  to  the  destruction  of 
the  Ursuline  Convent.  This  wholly  unprovoked  attack 
came  from  a  person  of  high  standing  in  the  community, 
holding  the  office  of  judge  of  probate  of  the  county  of 
Middlesex,  who  had  been  for  six  years  a  patron  01  the 
Convent,  and  one  of  the  most  zealous  defenders  of  the 
faith  that  Catholic  Nunneries  were  the  best  schools  for 
the  education  of  the  daughters  of  republican  Protestants. 
The  peculiar  relation  in  which  that  individual  stood  to  the 
Convent  will  best  appear  by  quoting  the  language  of  the 
respectable  counsel  for  the  defendant  in  the  trial  of  John 
R.  Buzzell. 

Mr.  Mann,  one  of  the  counsel,  said  to  the  jury — "  I  do 
not  think  Judge  Fay  is  sensible  his  feelings  are  excited, 
but  it  seems  to  me  that  he  comes  here  highly  excited.  Is 
it  not  strange  that  he  can  recollect  the  voice  [of  the  prison- 
er] and  not  a  word  that  he  said  ?  He  thinks  that  the 
prisoner  is  guilty,  and  that  blood  should  be  shed,  and  I 
submit,  that  every  thing  he  sees  and  hears  operates  to  the 
prejudice  of  the  prisoner." 

Mr.  Farley  said — "  I  would  next  call  your  attention  to 
Judge  Fay's  testimony ;  and  in  the  outset  I  tell  you,  with- 
out any  unfavorable  feeling  toward  Judge  Fay,  whom  I 
highly  esteem,  that  he  does  not  know  himself,  he  does 
not  know  his  own  feelings,  or  he  would  not  have  told  you 
that  he  could  have  tried  a  person  for  this  crime  immediate- 
ly after,  with  impartiality.  Both  Mr.  Thaxter  and  Judge 
Fay  are  insensibly  under  the  influence  of  feeling  in  this 
matter,  arising  from  their  having  friends  at  the  Convent, 
and  being  themselves  the  supporters  and  patrons  of  the 
institution,  and  having  entire  confidence  in  its  excellency 
and  purity.  Believing  so,  and  having  placed  their  chil- 
dren there,  it  was  natural  they  should  wish  to  prove  the 
institution  a  good  one.  These  circumstances  justify  the 
belief,  that  Judge  Fay,  as  high  as  his  character  stands, 
cannot  possibly  be  an  impartial  witness  in  this  causa  '' 


INTRODUCTION.  25 

It  was  under  these  impressions,  and  an  apparent  ex- 
treme irritation  at  the  acquittal  of  Buzzell,  that  Juds;e  Fay 
published  a  communication  in  the  Boston  Courier  of 
January  5,  1835,  in  which  he  recklessly  charged  the  editor 
of  that  paper,  as  the  editor  himself  sas,  "  with  a  direct 


, 
agency  in  producing  the  destruction  of  tne  Convent. 

It  will  also  he  seen,  by  the  following  extract,  that  i 
beginning  of  his  letter  he  attributes  the  mob  to  a  para- 


graph in  the  newspapers,  while  in  the  close  he  represents 
the  destruction  of  the  Convent  as  the  object  and  result  of 
the  "pious  labors"  of  Miss  R.  for  the  last  two  or  three 
years. 

Extract  from  Judge  Fay's  Letter. 
"  I  verily  believe  there  would  have  been  no  mob  on 
Monday  night,  but  for  the  paragraph  first  published  in  the 
Mercantile  Journal  of  Saturday,  and  copied  into  the  Courier 
of  Monday,  headed  "mysterious."  And  here  let  me  say, 
that  the  editors  of  those  papers  have  never,  as  I  believe, 
made  any  apology  for  the  publication  of  that  paragraph, 
which  may  have  been  the  immediate  cause  of  the  outrages 
of  that  night.  The  editor  of  the  Journal  has  even  under- 
taken to  justify  it,  and  to  complain  of  being  injured  by  the 
very  gentle  rebuke  for  it,  contained  in  the  Report  of  the 
Boston  Investigating  Committee.  I  would  now  only  ask, 
whether  any  respectable  editor  in  Boston  would  dare  to 
publish  such  a  paragraph  implicating  the  character  or  con- 
duct of  the  humblest  citizen,  upon  no  better  authority  than 
mere  street  rumor  '.'" 

Immediately  after  uttering  this  indignant  rebuke  against 
editors  for  implicating  the  character  and  conduct  ef  even 
the  humblest  citizen,  upon  no  better  authority  than  street 
rumor,  the  jud^c  illustrates  the  influence  of  his  own  moral 
maxim  upon  himself,  by  proceeding  forthwith  to  indite  a 
gross  and  unprovoked  libel  upon  a  respectable  young  lady, 
without  having  even  so  much  as  the  authority  of  "  street 
rumor"  for  the  calumnies  he  has  published. 

Conclusion  of  Judge  Fay's  LrtlT  to  the  Editor  of  the 

Courier  of  Jan.  5,  l£35. 

"  The  causes  which  led  to  the  destruction  of  the  Con- 
vent, —  the  circumstances  attending  the  transaction  —  the 
difficulty  of  bringing  the  actors  to  justice,  arc  fit  subjects 


/SO  INTRODUCTION. 

for  the  investigation  of  the  philosophic  historian.  The 
extraordinary  fact,  that  while  John  R.  Buzzell,  the  New 
Hampshire  ririckmaker,  recently  accused,  tried,  and  ac- 
quitted, as  one  of  the  incendiaries,  had  his  pockets  filled 
with  money,  and  received  such  other  marks  of  popular 
sympathy  and  acknowledgment  for  his  services  and  suffer- 
ings in  the  cause  of  true  religion,  as  to  demand  of  him  a 
public  card  of  thanks,  no  minister  or  memher  of  a  Protes- 
tant society  in  the  country,  as  far  as  I  have  heard,  has 
ever  proposed  a  contribution  for  the  unfortunate  Ursulines 
who  lost  their  all  by  this  flagrant  violation  of  their  rights ; 
this  is  matter  for  'our  special  wonder.'  The  time  will 
come,  I  trust,  when  all  these  matters  will  be  rightly  under- 
stood. As  to  the  state  of  popular  feeling  which  produced 
this  catastrophe,  if  that  be  a  mystery,  a  careful  review  of 
some  of  the  religious  journals  of  the  day  may  in  part  ex- 
plain it.  On  that  point,  I  will  take  the  liberty  to  refer 
voij  to  a  certain  Miss  Rebecca  Theresa  Reed,  alias  Re- 
fiecca  Mary  Agnes  Theresa  Reed,  (as  Goldsmith  says,  I 
love  to  give  the  whole  name,)  a  Catholic  Protestant,  as 
she  termed  herself  in  court  the  other  day.  who  has  been 
about  Boston  and  the  vicinity  for  the  last  two  or  three 
rears,  announcing  herself  as  '  the  humble  instrument  in  the 
hands  of  Providence  to  destroy  the  institution  at  Mount 
Benedict.'  As  the  great  object  of  her  pious  labors  has 
been  accomplished,  I  doubt  not  she  will  Le  proud  to  in- 
form you  how  she  did  it.  It  is  possible  that  a  book  which 
it  is  rumored  she  is  about  to  publish  relative  to  the  Nun- 
nery, may  afford  the  desired  information  ;  but  as  there  is 
reason  to  apprehend  that  the  manuscript,  which  has  been 
extensively  read,  may  undergo  considerable  pruning  and 
purgation  to  suit  the  views  of  the  publisher,  it  is  quite 
doubtful  if  you  will  be  able  to  get  the  whole  truth,  or  in- 
deed any  unvarnished  truth,  by  reading  it.  I  should  there- 
fore advise  to  apply  directly  to  herself.  If  she  be  as 
obliging  and  communicative  since,  as  she  was  before  the 
achievement  of  the  great  work,  I  doubt  not  that  you  may 
be  very  much  enlightened  in  all  the  remaining  unex- 
plained mysteries  connected  with  a  transaction,  which  has 
left  an  indelible  stain  on  the  character  of  this  part  of  the 
country;  exciting  the  grief  of  our  friends  and  the  pity  of 
our  enemies. 

I  have  travelled  a  step  or  two  beyond  the  limited  ol-j^ct 


INTRODUCTION.  27 

ofthis  communication,  but  I  trust  my  motive,  which  is 
truili,  and  the  correction  of  error,  will  be  thought  a  suffi- 
cient justification. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

SAMUEL  P.  P.  FAY. 
Cambridge,  Jan.  2,  1835. 

Up  to  this  period,  Miss  R.  had  never  published  a  line 
relating  to  the  Convent,  nor  authorized  any  publication 
that  had  been  made.  Her  situation  unavoidably  subjected 
her  to  many  painful  inquiries,  (among  others  to  those  of 
the  lady  of  Judge  Fay  himself,)  but  it  is  believed  that  she 
uniformly  conducted  with  a  discretion  and  prudence  in  re- 
lation to  any  statement  she  has  made,  which  it  would  be 
diilicult  for  any  young  lady  in  her  situation  to  excel.  All 
t  lit' excitement  attendant  upon  her  escape  from  the  Con- 
vent, if  there  ever  Were  any,  had  subsided  long  before  Miss 
Harrison  eloped  from  that  place,  and  returned  under  cir- 
cumstances furnishing  abundant  materials  for  popular  ex- 
citement. 

The  escape  of  Miss  II.,  in  1832,  was  never  mentioned 
in  a  single  newspaper,  nor  made  known  to  any  but  her 
friends,  and  no  public  allusion  was  ever  made  to  it,  until 
after  the  burning  of  the  Convent.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
elopement  of  Miss  Harrison,  in  1334,  was  immediately 
made  the  subject  of  newspaper  mystery  and  speculation; 
and  yet  Miss  II.  is  censured  as  the  enemy  of  the  Convent, 
and  Miss  Harrison  applauded  as  its  friend !  Miss  R. 
ferlainly  has  much  the  highest  claim  to  the  praise  of  dis- 
cretion. Her  elopement  never  got  into  the  newspapers,  as 
greedy  as  news  catchers  would  have  been  to  have  seized  it. 
But  other  real  or  pretended  elopements  from  the  Convent, 
previous  to  that  of  Miss  R.,  were  made  matter  of  comment 
in  the  newspapers,  so  as  to  call  for  a  public  denial  on  the 
,>;iri  of  liie  friends  of  the  institution,  as  will  be  seen  by  the 
following,  from  the  organ  of  the  Catholics  in  Boston. 
[From  the  Jesuit  of  July  23.  1831.) 

"  A  lying  report  has  been  for  some  time  going  the 
rounds  of  the  C«.lvinistic  presses,  relative  to  the  alopcmeiit 
of  a  pious  girl  from  the  Mount  Benedict  Institution  at 
Charlf>town.  False!  false!!  false!!!  Messrs.  Parsons, 
yon  know  it  to  lie  so." 

The  inference,  therefore,  is  obvious,  that.  Mis>  R.  avoided 


INTRODUCTION. 

any  publicity  that  would  lead  to  an  excitement  against  the 
Convent.  For  nearly  three  years  before  the  destruction 
of  the  Convent,  she  had  been  living  in  the  bosom  of  her 
own  family,  an  exemplary  member  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  industriously  applying  herself,  as  far  as  her  shat- 
tered health  would  admit,  to  acquiring  and  giving  instruc- 
tion to  young  ladies  in  music  and  ornamental  work.  To 
suppose  for  a  moment  that  a  mere  girl,  not  twenty  years 
of  age,  and  so  situated,  could  possess  the  power,  or  the 
means,  or  the  disposition  to  do  what  the  Boston  Commit- 
tee and  Judge  Fay  so  unjustly  attribute  to  her  agency,  viz. 
"  fomenting  to  hatred  the  popular  aversion"  against  the 
Convent,  "  by  representations  injurious  to  the  moral  repu- 
tation of  the  members  of  that  Community,"  and  forming  a 
conspiracy  "  to  destroy  the  institution  at  Mount  Benedict,1'' 
"  as  the  great  object  of  her  pious  labors,"  requires  a  cre- 
dulity not  surpassed  by  that  which  enables  a  devout  Ca- 
tholic actually  to  believe  in  the  identical  transubstantiation 
of  a  wafer  into  the  flesh  of  the  Savior  !  It  would  disparage 
the  common  sense  of-Judge  Fav,  much  more  of  the  Boston 
Committee,  to  suppose  they  believe  any  such  thing.  And 
Vet,  in  grave  documents  emanating  from  both  these  sources, 
we  find  a  young  girl,  moving  in  tne  humble  walks  of  Jilt,-, 
whose  character  is  without  reproach,  charged  with  de- 
signing for  three  years,  and  carrying  forward  to  its  comply  - 
tion,  in  the  midst  of  her  simple  avocation  as  the  atlL-ction 
ate  teacher  of  female  children  in  music,  a  monstrous 
conspiracy  to  get  up  a  mob  to  destroy  the  Ursulinu  Con- 
vent by  violence  !  If  these  intelligent  gentlemen  hav;,- 
really  brought  their  minds  to  compass  sucfi  an  absurdity  as 
this,  they  might  be  brought  to  invert  one  of  the  miracles  ol 
sacred  writ,  and  believe  that  Jonah  swallowed  the  whale, 
and  not  that  the  whale  swallowed  Jonah  ! 

It  was  not  until  this  publication  of  Judge  Fay  appeared, 
that  Miss  R.  fully  consented  that  her  friends  should  publish 
her  narrative,  as  the  only  means  of  placing  before  the 
public  all  she  had  said  and  written  in  relation  to  the  Con- 
vent, from  which  it  might  be  seen  how  injuriously  she  had 
been  misrepresented.  The  Report  of  the  Boston  Commit- 
tee, though  extremely  unkind  in  older  respects,  was  so  far 
decorous  as  to  omit  using  her  name.  Jud^e  Fay  was  des- 
titute of  this  ordinary  courtesy  due  to  every  reputable  fe- 
male who  does  not  bring  her.splf  voluntarily  before  the 


INTRODUCTION.  29 

public.  To  repel  his  harsh  imputations  at  once,  seemed 
indispensable,  and  they  were  replied  to  by  the  following 
communication  in  the  Boston  Courier  of  January  7,  1835, 
which  will  explain  many  things  connected  with  the  nar- 
rative. 

REPLY  TO  JUDGE  FAY. 

Boston,  January  5,  1835. 

TO  THE  EDITOR  OF  THE  COURIER  : 

SIR, — I  have  been  much  surprised  by  seeing,  in  a  letter  signed 
"Samuel  P.  P.  Fay,"  published  in  your  paper  of  this  morning,  a 
violent  attack  upon  myself,  making  statements  wholly  false,  and 
adding  inferences,  which,  I  take  it  upon  myself  to  say,  no  honest 
and  unprejudiced  man  would  be  guilty  of,  even  in  his  own 
thoughts,  and  much  less  in  a  letter  sent  to  a  public  journal  for 
publication.  Much  as  I  am  averse  to  allowing  my  name  to  come 
before  the  public,  in  any  manner,  I  cannot^  in  justice  to  myself, 
remain  silent  when  such  a  gross  calumny  has  been  put  forth ; 
and  done,  too,  by  one  whose  office  gives  him  a  claim  to  respect  in 
this  community.  In  answering  the  calumnies  contained  in  the 
communication  of  Judge  Fay,  it  will  be  necessary  to  enter  a  little 
into  particulars.  In  the  first  place,  the  judge  '•  takes  the  liberty" 
to  refer  to  me,  as  one  who  is  able  to  give  some  information  upon'tlie 
causes  of  the  "  popular  feeling"  which  produced  the  destruction 
(if  the  Convent.  In  answer  to  this  reference,  I  can  only  say,  that 
it  i«  impossible  for  me  to  account  for  the  popular  feeling  in  liny 
other  manner  than  that  in  which  the  learned  judge  himself  ac- 
counted for  it,  when  on  the  stand  and  under  oath,  viz.  to  the  cir- 
cumstances attending  the  escape  of  Mrs.  Mary  John.  He  then 
slated  (under  oath)  that  he  knew  of  no  other  cause  for  the  excite- 
ment which  had  caused  the  catastrophe.  I  can  say  with  equal 
sincerity,  that  /  also  know  of  no  other  cause  ;  and  that  to  have  it 
ascribed  to  me,  as  having  in  the  least  degree  contributed  to  the 
excitement,  is  as  base  a  calumny  as  was  ever  fabricated. 

My  conversation  with  regard  to  that  institution,  since  I  left  it, 
has  been  confined  to  very  few  persons.  No  conversation  of  impor- 
tance, with  regard  to  it,  had  ever  been  held  by  me  (up  to  the  time 
of  its  destruction)  with  but  two  persons.  One  of  them  is  the  reve- 
rend gentleman  of  whose  church  I  am  now  a  member,  and  the 
other  is  a  resident  in  the  country.  I  have  sometimes  been  pressed 
with  questions  concerning  it,  but  have  always  avoided  them  as 
much  as  possible  ;  and  though  1  have  answered  some  questions.  I 
have  not  (up  to  the  time  above  mentioned)  given  any  information 
with  regard  to  the  institution,  (to  any  other  than  the  gentlemen 
before  named,)  further  than  general  statements  ;  such  as,  that  I 
did  not  approve  of  the  institution,  and  should  not  advise  any  of 
the  young  ladies  among  my  friends  to  go  there  ;  that  I  disapproved 
of  the  discipline  of  the  institution,  thinking  much  of  it  to  be  too 


30 


INTRODUCTION. 


So  careful  have  I  been  not  to  be  in  any  measure  the  causa  of  an 
excitement  against  that  institution,  that  I  did  not  permit  even  my 
own  sisters  to  read  the  manuscript  which  I  had  wciiten  concerning 
it.  And  now,  that  it  should  be  publicly  sali  of  me,  by  one  who 
holds  a  seat  upon  the  judge's  bench,  that  I  have  been  the  cause 
of  the  "  popular  feeling"  of  which  he  speaks,  is  an  invasion  of 
defenceless  female  innocence,  if  possible,  more  barbarous  than 
that  invasion  of  private  rights,  which  ha»  called  forth  so  much 
public  discussion. 

The  learned  judge  says  I  "termed"  myself,  when  in  court,  a 
"Catholie  Protestant" — for  the  purpose,  no  doubt,  of  holding  me 
up  to  ridicule.  In  answer  to  this  small  wit,  it  is  only  necessary 
to  say,  that  such  an  expression  is  a  contradiction  in  terms  which 
I  did  not  make  use  of.  I  stated,  that  I  was  a  Catholic  Episcopa- 
lian ;  and  I  cay  so  still. 

But  the  most  important  misrepresentation  which  the  judge  has 
done  me  the  honor  to  make,  is  in  a  paragraph  to  which  he  puls 
quotation  marks,  as  ifthe  words  were  actually  mine.  In  answer 
to  this,  in  the  first  place  I  would  state,  that  all  which  is  exception- 
able in  the  paragraph  is  false.  With  regard  to  the  origin  from 
which  this  paragraph  has  been  made,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
mention  a  few  details.  About  a  year  ago,  Mrs.  Fay  was  (appa- 
rently) quite  desirous  to  have  some  conversation  wilh  me  upon 
that  institution  :  to  this  end,  she  sent  me  two  notes  requesting  me 
to  call  on  her  for  that  purpose.  I  had  (as  above  stated)  always 
endeavored  to  avoid  particular  conversation  upon  the  subject;  but 
in  this  instance,  knowing  that  Mrs.  Fay  had  a  daughter  in  the 
institution,  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  give  her  all  the  information  1 
could  with  propriety.  I  therefore  answered  her  first  note,  inform- 
ing her  that  if  she  would  call  on  me,  I  would  give  her  all  the  in- 
formation in  my  power.  To  this  she  sent  another  note,  again 
requesting  me  to  call  on  her  :  of  which  last  I  took  no  notice,  being 
thankful  that  she  wanted  the  information  so  little,  as  to  give  me 
an  excuse  for  not  giving  it.  A  short  time  after,  however,  I  went 
there  to  obtain  a  piano-forte,  which  I  had  been  informed  could  be 
had  upon  application  :  I  was  in  hopes  that  I  should  not  see 
Mrs.  Fay,  but  was  disappointed.  She  immediately  commenced 
asking  me  a  variety  of  questions  about  the  Convent,  and  I  could 
not  avoid  having  some  conversation  with  her  upon  the  subject. 
I  answered  her  Questions  in  general  terms,  as  I  had  previously 
answered  similar  questions  to  other  persons,  without  entering  iato 
any  particulars,  and  ending  the  conversation  as  soon  as  politeness 
would  permit.  Previous  to  leaving,  however,  some  general  re- 
marks were  made  on  both  sides;  and  upon  her  part  some  remarks 
directed  to  me,  of  a  more  kindly  nature  than  any  which  she  had 
previously  made.  In  this  connection  I  said,  that  "  I  hoped  to  be 
a  humble  instrument  in  the  hands  of  Providence  of  shoicin%  my 
friends  the  truth,"  This  is  what  teas  said,  and  nothing dijjerent 
was  said.  The  remark  applied  to  me  by  Judge  Fay  I  ncrer  mfitle, 
nor  any  thing  nearer  to  it  than  the  one  abova  quoted.  Thus  it 


INTRODUCTION.  31 

Will  be  seen,  that  yourself  is  not  the  only  one  to  whom  the  learned 
judge  has  done  great  injustice. 

With  regard  to  the  manuscript  which  the  judge  speaks  of,  it  is 
true  that  I  have  written  one  ;  but  that  it  has  been  "extensively 
read,"  is  not  true.  Whether  it  will  be  published  or  not,  it  is  unne- 
cessary to  answer.  If  however  it  should  lie  published,  there  will 
be  no  "  pruning  or  purgation,"  as  is  feared  by  the  learned  judge, 
but  it  will,  on  thj  contrary,  be  more  full  and  explicit  than  was 
originally  intended  ;  for  when  written,  it  was  not  intended  for 
publication. 

I  am,  very  respectfully   your  obedient,  servant, 

11.  THERESA  REED. 

We  take  it  for  granted  that  no  person,  of  ordinary  good 
breeding,  can  justify  the  rude  and  unprovoked  attack 
which  a  dignified  judge,  who  is  legally  the  guardian  of 
the  orphan,  has  made  upon  an  orpljan  girl,  in  this  commu- 
nication to  the  editor  of  the  Courier.  What  manly  feeling. 
or  what  sense  of  justice,  could  have  prompted  this  sneer? 
• — "  a  certain  Miss  Rebecca  Theresa  Reed,  alias  Rebecca 
Mary  Agnes  Theresa  Reed  ;  as  Goldsmith  says,  1  love  to 
give  the  whole  name."  Why  did  not  the  judge,  while  in 
this  witty  humor,  exercise  his  ridicule  upon  the  Lady  Su- 
perior, who  styled  herself,  when  in  court,  Ly  the  whole 
name  of  "  Mrs.  President,  Ma  Mere,  Mary  Ann,  Ursula, 
Lady  Superior,  Edmond,  St.  George,  Moffatt?"  The 
judge  himself  is  not  deficient  in  names  ! 

Not  content  with  this,  the  judge  totally  misrepresents 
a  fact,  in  saving  that  Miss  R.  termed  herself,  in  court,  "  a 
"Catholic  Protestant."  She  did  not.  Chief  Justice 
Shaw  asked  her,  as  he  did  all  the  female  witnesses,  "  Are 
you  a  Catholic?  Her  answer  was,  I  am  a  Catholic  Epis- 
copalian. Chief  Justice.  Do  you  believe  in  the  Calh  >Iic 
Church?  Ans'.  '  1  believe  in  the  Holy  Catholic  Church,' 
but  not  ia  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  Chief  Justice. 
Do  you  acknowledge  the  supremacy  of  the  Pope?  Ans. 
No,  Sir,  by  no  means  ;  I  am  a  member  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church." — It  would  seem  difficult  to  find  mate- 
rials for  ridicule  in  answers  so  proper  and  becoming  as 
these. 

But  the  most  remarkable  part  of  the  judge's  letter,  is 
the  proof  he  gravely  gives  of  Miss  R.'s  design  to  burn 
down  the  Convent,  by  the  assertion  that  some  two  years 
before  the  riot,  she  declared  that  "  she  hoped  to  be  a  hum- 
hie  instrument,  in  the  hands  of  Providence,  to  destroy  the 


32  INTRODUCTION. 

institution  at  Mount  Benedict :"  and  this,  infers  the  judge\ 
is  conclusive  evidence  that  a  girl  of  nineteen  was  then 
getting  up  a  conspiracy  to  burn  down  the  Convent ! 

What  a  terrible  incendiary  Martin  Luther  must  have 
been,  on  this  principle,  for  when  threatened  with  persecu- 
tion from  Rome,  he  wrote  to  Spalatinus — "  Let  them  con- 
demn me  and  burn  my  books,  and  if  in  return  I  do  not 
publicly  condemn  and  burn  the  whole  mass  of  pontifical 
law,  it  will  be  because  I  cannot  find  fire.  The  Lord  will 
I  doubt  not,  finish  his  own  work,  either  through  me  as  his 
instrument  or  through  another." 

In  truth,  the  Lord  did  make  Luther  the  instrument  of  de- 
stroying jive  hundred  and  seventy-six  monastic  establish- 
ments in  England  alone,  the  annual  revenues  of  which,  to 
the  Monks  and  Nuns  with  their  vows  of  "poverty,"  were 
£132,000.  more  than  half  a  million  of  dollars,  besides 
plate  and  jewels  to  the  value  of  £100,000  more  !  In  fact, 
as  the  history  of  those  times  says,  "one  of  the  first  effects 
of  the  Reformation  was  the  destruction  of  the  religious 
houses." 

Was  that  any  reason  that  Luther  should  have  held  his 
peace  ?  The  Boston  Committee  think  so  in  their  Report, 
for  they  say,  "  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  a  conspiracy  was 
formed,  extending  into  many  of  the  neighboring  towns,  but 
the  Committee  are  of  opinion  that  it  embraced  very  few 
of  respectable  character  in  society,  though  some  such  may 
be  accounted  guilty  of  an  offence  no  less  lieinous,  morally 
considered,  in  having  excited  the  feelings  which  led  to  the 
design." 

Here  in  one  sentence  we  have  all  the  authors  of  state- 
ments injurious  to  the  Nunnery,  whether  true  or  false, 
including  Dr.  Boecher  for  preaching  against  Popery,  shook 
up  together  in  the  some  bag  with  the  rioters  who  set  fire 
to  the  Convent !  Verily  Martin  Lulher  was  a  rioter  in- 
stead of  a  reformer,  for  he  "  excited  the  feelings"  that  led 
to  very  many  bloody  wars  and  persecutions,  in  which  all 
Europe  was  involved  for  years. 

Protestant  American  citizens,  who  regard  it  as  a  heinous 
moral  offence  to  tell  the  truth  and  expose  the  danger  and 
folly  of  educating  the  daughters  of  free  republicans  at 
Catholic  Convents,  must  assuredly  approve  of  the  eulo- 
gium  the  infidel  historian  Hume  pronounces  on  Pope  Leo 
the  Tenth,  "whose  sound  judgment,  moderation,  and 


INTRODUCTION.  33 

temper  were  well  qualified  to  retard  the  progress  of  the 
Reformation." 

Miss  II.  therefore,  even  had  she  used  the  precise  lan- 
guage Judge  Fay  ascribes  to  her,  might  have  quoted  an 
illustrious  example.  Luther  had  seen  the  abuses  of  the 
Romish  Church,  as  she  had  seen  those  of  the  Convent  at 
Charlestpwn,  and  when  his  enemies  proposed  to  stipulate 
for  his  silence,  and  even  his  friends  feared  he  was  going 
too  far,  he  exclaimed,  "  I  will  not  be  guilty  of  an  impious 
silence,  and  of  the  neglect  of  divine  truth,  and  of  so  many 
thousand  precious  souls."  And  yet  Luther's  single  as- 
sertion stood  for  some  time  against  the  testimony  of  the 
whole  hierarchy  of  Rome,  and  had  Christians  taken  their 
denials  where  would  have  been  the  Reformation?  So  if 
the  Protestants  of  the  present  day  admit  the  denials  of  the 
members  of  Catholic  Convents  as  conclusive  against  the 
statements  of  all  scceders  from  such  institutions,  who 
alone  can  carry  into  the  world  a  knowledge  of  its  secret 
discipline,  will  it  not  amount  to  an  entire  immunity  to 
such  establishments  for  any  abuses  or  follies  they  may 
practise  ? 

But  it  is  not  true  that  Miss  R.  took  any  pains  to  dis- 
seminate her  opinions  of  lli'j  Nunnery.  Ou  the  contrary, 
shf  uniformly  refrained  from  doing  so,  unless  under  cir- 
cumstances where  she  felt  called  upon  by  a  sense  of  duty 
and  the  inquiries  of  those  interested  in  knowing  the  truth. 
One  of  the  few  conversations  she  held  on  this  subject,  after 
Mio  left  the  Convent,  was  the  one  which  Judge  Fay  has 
brought  before  the  public,  and  misrepresented,  with  marked 
disregard  to  delicacy,  because  the  conversation  he  uses  to 
establish  his  charge  of  conspiracy  against  Miss  R.  was 
held  with  his  own  wife,  at  her  urgent  solicitation.  This 
we  will  prove.  In  1833,  Miss  R.  was'  a  pupil  in  the 
Cambridgeport  Academy,  nearly  opposite  the  residence  of 
Judge  Fay.  Mrs.  Fay  called  on  her  there,  and  requested 
an  interview  relative  to  the  Convent,  in  which  she  had 
daughters.  Miss  R.  declined  calling.  The  earnestness 
with  which  the  interview  was  pressed,  will  appear  from 
the  following  notes,  which  the  judge  has  obliged  the 
friends  of  Miss  R.  to  publish. 

"Mrs.  Fay  will  be  at  home  thia  morning,  and  would  be  happy 
tu  have  a  few  moments'  conversation  with  Miss  Heed  after  school 
tliis  morning,  if  it  would  be  agreeable  to  Miss  Heed,  in  relation  to 


34  INTRODUCTION. 

the  Convent.    Mrs.  Fay  only  wishes  to  know  if  certain  reports 
which  she  has  heard  are  true. 
"  Friday  morning." 

[Miss  R.  replied  in  a  note,  declining  to  call  at  the  resi- 
dence of  Mrs.  F.,  but  expressing  a  willingness  to  have  that 
lady  call  on  her.  The  answer  to  this  note  was  as  fol- 
lows.] 

"  Mrs.  Fay  will  not  be  able  to  call  and  see  Miss  Reed  this  after- 
noon, as  she  is  going  to  Boston.  She  is  much  obliged  to  M  iss  Reed 
for  her  polite  note,  aad  will  be  happy  to  have  Miss  Reed  call  any 
day  next  week,  either  before  or  after  school. 

"  Saturday  morning," 

A  conversation,  drawn  from  an  artless  young  lady,  by 
such  earnest  and  kind  solicitations  as  these,  certainly 
ought  not  to  have  been  treasured  up  nearly  two  years,  and 
then  made  public,  in  a  distorted  form,  in  order  to  charge 
upon  her  a  conspiracy  to  incite  a  mob  to  commit  arson 
and  burglary. 

We  know  it  has  been  thrown  out,  by  way  of  threat,  that 
should  Miss  R.  suffer  her  narrative  to  be  published,  her 
veracity  would  be  destroyed  byjpeans  of  spies  in  the 
guise  of  fnends,  who  had  watcheoner  ever  since  she  es- 
caped from  the  Convent,  and  taken  clown  her  conversa- 
tions in  writing,  in  order  to  detect  her  in  some  contradic- 
tions. That  such  a  cold-blooded,  Jesuitical  system  of 
espionage  can  have  been  introduced  into  this  enlightened 
community,  and  practised  for  the  ruin  of  a  young  lady, 
we  shall  believe  when  we  see  these  pretended  records  of 
Miss  R.'s  conversation  published,  and  not  before.  We 
certainly  acquit  so  respectable  a  lady  as  Mrs.  F.  of  any 
design  to  entrap  Miss  R.  uy  kind  solicitations  into  a  con- 
versation that  was  to  be  used,  at  some  future  period,  to  hei 
injury. 

But  there  is  one  fact  which  we  cannot  withhold  in  this 
connection,  as  it  will  account  for  the  spirit  of  extreme 
hostility  with  which  Miss  R.  has  been  pursued,  ever  since 
her  escape  from  the  Convent,  and  her  renunciation  of  the 
Roman  Ca^aolic  faith.  We  quote  from  the  "  Jesuit," 
published  in  Boston,  the  organ  of  Romanism  in  New 
England,  firm  which  it  will  be  seen  that  whenever  a 
Catholic  changes  his  religion,  the  dogma  of  the  church 
enjoins  that  he  is  never  afterward  to  be  trusted  or  believed 
in  any  thing;  and  is  to  be  driven,  by  persecutions,  to  in- 


I  N  T  R  O  D  U  C  T  I  O  N .  35 

temperance,  madness,  or  suicide.  That  these  are  the  ter- 
rors held  out  to  apostates  from  Popery,  cannot  be  mistak- 
en from  the  following  language. 

[From  the  Boston  Jesuit  of  1831.] 

"  Whenever  a  Catholic  changes  his  religion,  his  motives 
and  conduct  are  to  be  invariably  suspecled,  and  his  honesty 
to  be  never  trusted.  Never  did  such  apostates  become 
thereby  more  moral  or  religious.  Faith  being  the  free 
gift  of  God  to  man,  may  be  lost  by  an  individual  not  keep- 
ing it  active  by  the  performance  of  the  moral  and  religious, 
duties  which  an  incarnate  God  and  his  Church  inculcate 
and  enforce. 

But  conscience,  with  her  thousand  tongues,  will  cry  out 
in  the  midst  of  festive  gayety,  in  darkness  or  solitude, 
against  such  deep  and  damning- perfidy,  and  the  unfortu- 
nate victim,  in  all  the  abasement  of  guilt,  to  palliate  his 
mental  torture,  will  hare  recourse  to  tlic  stupefying  bowl, 
or  terminate  his  career  by  suicide." 

Need  we  marvel  that  "  mother  Church"  is  infallible  in  the 
eyes  of  her  votaries,  when  such  are  the  arguments  used 
against  a  Catholic  turning  Protestant  ?  Need  we  wonder  if 
even  deranged  fugitives  from  Convents  should  be  sudden- 
ly restored  to  their  senses,  and  voluntarily  return  to  their 
mental  prison,  as  the  only  means  to  escape  such  a  terrible 
anathema?  How  conveniently,  in  case  of  the  sudden  death 
of  an  "  apostate"  this  doctrine  of  a  guilty  conscience  im- 
pelling to  suicide  would  "  cover  it  all  over  like  a  cloak." 
We  bring  no  accusation  ;  we  merely  trace  avowed  doc- 
trines to  their  legitimate  consequences  ;  and  we  ask,  if  the 
above  article  really  embodies  the  true  spirit  with  which 
the  Nuns  of  the  Convent,  the  Bishop  and  Priests,  and  the 
Catholics  generally,  view  the  secession  of  Miss  R.  from 
their  order,  ought  she  not  to  be  an  object  of  the  lively 
sympathy,  and  the  zealous  protection  of  Protestant  Chris- 
tians, instead  of  being  pursued  and  persecuted  by  them 
also,  as  the  unconscious  instruments  of  the  vengeance  of 
the  former  ? 

One  word  as  to  the  intimation  that  the  Narrative  of 
Miss  R.,  as  now  puolished,  has  undergone  "  pruning  and 
purgation  to  suit  the  publisher."  It  has  neither  been 
pruned  nor  expurgated,  to  suit  the  views  of  any  body.  It 
contains  every  fact  which  it  contained  when  committed  to 


36  INTRODUCTION. 

writing  by  Miss  R.  between  two  and  three  years  ago. 
The  form  in  which  it  is  now  published  is  a  revision  of  the 
original  draft  by  Miss  R.,  under  the  c.dvice  of  judicious 
friends,  but  the  language,  the  thoughts,  the  facts  and  the 
inferences  are  wholly  her's,  with  a  few  unimportant  cor- 
rections. We  repeat,  that  not  a  fact  contained  in  the 
original  Narrative  has  been  suppressed,  and  these  are  all 
the  facts  which  Miss  R.  has  at  any  time  authorized  to 
"  pass  under  the  sanction  of  her  name."  If  she  knows  facts 
more  injurious  to  the  character  of  the  Convent,  they  have 
not  been  disclosed  ;  and  a  discreet  public  can  judge  from 
this  Narrative  with  how  much  justice  the  Boston  Com- 
mittee, in  their  Report,  have  ascribed  to  Miss  R.  the  origin 
of  the  excitement  that  led  to  the  riot  of  the  llth  of  August. 
We  cannot  so  well  describe  the  circumstances  under 
which  the  Narrative  was  at  first  prepared,  as  they  are  re- 
lated in  the  following  communication  on  that  subject,  ad- 
dressed to  us  by  Miss  R.  last  October. 

TO  MY  RESPECTED  PRIBNDS  : 

Soon  after  I  left  the  Ursuline  Community  on  Mount  Benedict, 
Charlestowu,  I  felt  it  my  duty  and  privilege  to  resume  the  connec 
lion  which,  before  I  became  a  convert  to  Romanism.  I  heid  with 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  in  Cambridge.  I  accordingly 
applied  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  C..  the  pastor  of  Christ  Church,  Boston, 
with  whom  I  had  consulted  previously  to  my  joining  the  Catholics. 
I  related  to  him,  as  my  pastor  and  spiritual  adviser,  the  circum- 
stances which  led  to  the  temporary  renunciation  of  the  fiith  in 
which  I  was  brought  up  by  my  pious  mother. 

Before  the  death  of  my  mother,  she  took  care  to  have  myself 
and  two  sisters  baptized,  at  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Cambridge, 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Doane,  then  of  Trinity  Church,  Boston,  now  an 
Episcopal  Bishop  of  New  Jersey. 

It,  was  the  daily  prayer  of  my  beloved  mother  that  her  children 
might  be  brought  up  in  the  ways  of  religion  and  truth.  Accord- 
ingly she  gave  my  two  younger  sisters  and  myself  to  the  Episco- 
pal Church  in  baptism.  Previous  to  her  death  she  summoned 
us  to  her  bed,  in  presence  of  my  father  and  one  of  our  sponsors, 
and  reminded  us  of  the  solemn  obligation  we  had  taken  on  our- 
selves in  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  and  s;iid  that  she  knew  of  no 
truer  religion  than  that  of  the  Church  of  England  ;  that  if  there 
was  a  holier  people,  we  had  only  to  seek,  and  we  should  find  them. 
And  here  I  should  do  well  to  call  to  mind  other  advice  and 
requests  which  she  made :  although  her  body  sleeps  in  the  dust,  the 
remembrance  of  her  dying  words  is  still  fresh  in  my  mind. 

When  I  threw  off  the  strong  delusion  under  which  I  had  b«en 
induced  to  embrace  Romanism  or  the  Catholic  religion,  and  my 


INTRODUCTION.  37 

mind  was  left  at  liberty  to  reflect  on  the  dying  words  of  my  de- 
parted mother,  I  sought  consolation  in  the  Episcopal  Church.  In 
doin?  this,  and  in  applying  to  th0,  Rev.  Mr.  C.  for  readmission  to 
the  church,  I  felt  it  my  duty,  i.i  returning  as  a  lost  sheep  to  the 
fold,  to  open  my  whole  heart,  and  disclose  all  the  circumstances 
that  led  to  my  wandering  from  the  truth  and  embracing  the  Ro- 
man Cathe'ic  faith — my  introduction  to  the  Ursuline  Community — 
a  narrative  of  my  residence  there — the  circumstances  which 
caused  me  to  doubt  the  purity  of  their  failh  and  practice— my  con- 
sequent elopement  from  the  Convent,  and  my  renunciation  of 
Romanism.  And  my  present  pastor  can  bear  me  witness  that  I 
have  never  expressed  any  desire  to  injure  the  Convent  or  bring 
unjust  reproach  on  the  Catholic  religion,  but  to  do  my  duty  as  I 
conscientiously  believed  I  ought  to  do,  in  telling  the  truth,  on  my 
application  for  readmission  to  the  Episcopal  Church;  and  leave  the 
event  to  the  wise  Disposer  of  all  things. 

At  the  time  I  related  the  facts  contained  in  this  Narrative  to  the 
Rev.  Mr.  C.,  he  adriaed  me  as  soon  as  I  was  able  to  put  iii 
writing  all  that  I  had  learned  and  experienced  of  Roman  Catho- 
licism while  among  them,  and  while  in  the  Convent.  At  first  I  vtoa 
aljl,:  to  mak'i  only  memoranda,  but  I  have  at  last  endeavored,  in 
my  own  simple  language,  to  place  them  together  in  something 
like  the  form  of  a  narrative,  for  your  perusal. 

The  above  are  the  circumstances  under  which  this  short  account 
has  been  drawn  up;  and  I  have  now  explained  to  you  the  motives 
for  this  narrative  of  the  most  mierestias  and  distressing  period  of 
my  lif-.  "R.  THERESA  REED. 

Among  the  many  unkind  things  said  of  Miss  11.,  an  at- 
tempt  has  been  made  to  impute  ingratitude  to  her,  because 
she  was  received  at  the  Consent  as  a  charity  scholar.  Mrs. 
Motiiut,  the  Superior,  in  her  testimony,  said,  "  Miss  R. 
was  received  from  motives  of  charity  ;''  and  the  Report  of 
the  Boston  Committee,  taking  the  alleged  fact  solely  from 
the  Superior,  says,1'  her  means  of  knowledge  were  derived 
from  her  having  become  a  voluntary  inmate  of  the  house, 
for  the  purpose  of  receiving  a  gratuitous  education." 

Had  disinterested  benevolence  been  the  motive  which 
led  to  the  admission  of  Miss  R.  to  the  Convent,  those  who 
could  exercise  such  benevolence  would  not  have  publicly 
reproached  her  with  ingratitude  on  that  ^-jore.  But  the 
Superior  proved,  while  under  onth,  that  th<>  object  was  not 
ehrtrity.  but  the  pecuniary  interest  of  the  school.  We 
quote  the  i'ollov.'inLT  from  the  cross  examination  of  the  Su- 
perior, in  an-u-er  to  questions  put  bv  Mr.  Farley. 

':  Miss  Koc'it  cam>  nr.  a  charity  scholar.  She  was  em- 
ploy'") in  :iM!-;idintr  to  her  cducHtion.  (-l>i?f('i'n.  What 


38  INTRODUCTION. 

was  the  design  of  educating  her  ?  Answer.  To  prtoare 
her  to  instruct  in  tlie  school.  Mr.  Farley.  Then  after  she 
was  taught  sufficiently  to  instruct  in  the  school,  would  she 
not  have  'been  an  acquisition  to  the  Community  ?  Answer. 
Certainly." 

This  is  the  same  kind  of  charity  which  a  master  bestows 
upon  his  apprentice  the  first  six  months.  Miss  R.,  when 
she  applied  for  admission  to  the  Convent,  was  found  to 
possess  a  fine  talent  for  music,  which  she  has  since  de- 
veloped. As  an  instructerin  music,  therefore,  had  she  re- 
mained at  the  Convent  after  the  six  months,  her  services 
would  have  been  highly  important.  The  receipts  from 
sixty  scholars  were  not  less  than  ten  thousand  dollars  per 
annum,  and  there  were  but  eight  teachers,  so  that  Miss 
R.'s  proportion  of  labor,  when  qualified  to  instruct  in  music, 
would  have  been  twelve  hundred  per  annum.  "Charity" 
like  this  was  certainly  casting  a  single  loaf  of  bread  upon 
the  waters,  with  a  certainty  of  receiving  a  whole  cargo  in 
return. 

Nor  was  this  all.  Miss  R.  was  well  skilled  in  orna- 
mental needle-work,  as  the  ornaments  of  the  altar  and  the 
robe  of  the  Bishop  can  bear  witness,  and  her  industry  in 
that  department  was  a  full  equivalent  for  all  the  "  charity" 
she  received  at  the  Convent.  We  will  prove  this  out  of 
the  mouths  of  the  Catholics  themselves,  by  quoting  the 
following  article  referring1  to  Miss  R.  just  b'efore  she  en- 
tered the  Convent. 

[From  the  Boston  Jesuit  of  August  6,  1831.] 

"  We  have  frequently  heard  and  noticed  the  anti-christian  pre- 
judice v.-hich  a  conversion  from  sectarianism  to  the  Holy  Catholic 
Church,  produces  in  the  minds  of  the  unconverted  friend*  arid 
relatives  of  the  new  convert. 

'•  A  young  lady  (meaning  Miss  R.)  who  lived  nota  <jreat  distance 
from  Boston,  became  a  convert  a  few  months  ago.  This  so  exas- 
perated her  father,  that  she  was  obliged  to  leave  the  house.  She 
found  a  shelter  in  the  house  of  a  worthy  Catholic  family.  She  is 
very  capable  <if  obtaining  a  livelihood,  hy  her  knowledge  of  the 
various  branches  of  needle-work.  Passing  over  a  certain  bridge, 
not  very  far  from  this  city,  she  was  met  by  a  brother,  who  unnatural- 
ly exclaimed  that  very  little  iroitld  imliice  him  to  throve  her  into 
the  n-ater.  He  fortunately  did  not  violate  the  majesty  of  the  law. 
Happy  prirUege  of  the  private  judgment  principle  !  edifying  de- 
monstration of  it*  practical  results  !  Read  the  Bible  and  judge  for 
yourself,  says  the  minister.  When  one  does  so.  and  thereby  be- 


INTRODUCTION.  39 

conies  a  Catholic,  he  is  forthwith  denounced,  yes,  and  but  too  often 
persecuted.  Strange  logic  this !  happy  coincidence  of  principle 
unit  practice  !" 

We  have  introduced  this  extract  merely  to  sly  w  that  be- 
fore Miss  R.  was  received  into  the  Convent,  it  was  well 
understood  by  her  Catholic  friends,  that  she  was  very  capa- 
hle  of  obtaining  a  livelihood,  by  the  precise  kind  of  skill 
which  was  particularly  wanted  in  the  decorations  of  the 
Convent.  But  as  this  extract  from  the  Jesuit  contains 
many  false  statements  never  derived  from  Miss  R.  or  her 
friends,  but  invented  by  the  Priest  who  wrote  it,  we  sub- 
jnin  the  following  declaration  made  by  the  brother  of  Miss 
11.,  which  ia  also  fully  assented  to  by  her  father. 

Tlie  pubsr.ribT  i.s  the  only  brother  of  R.  Theresa  Reed,  who  was 
i  i  the  Convc.it.  at,  Charlcstown  for  some  time.  He  and  all  the 
rtinily  were  always  opposed  to  Theresa's  going  to  the  Convent, 
:i:id  di'l  all  th"v  could  to  persuade  her  not  to  go  there,  but  never 
'i-i.'d  any  other  ni-'iiis  than  advice.  Theresa  was  living  at  homo 
v.-ii'i  my  fuller,  and  was  under  no  necessity  to  seek  admission  to 
the  Convent  as  a  charity  to  her.  We  always  believed  she  was 
I'vtM-p-irjju^di'd  by  others  to  go  there.  Her  father  always  opposed 
li:-r  'joing  there.  He  showed  me,  at  the  time,  a  letter  from  tho 
Superior  of  the  Convent  to  him,  which  said,  "With  your  approba- 
!  i.j.i  1  shall  receivj  your  daughter,  and  give  her  two  or  three  quar- 
i  TS'  instruction  and  fit  her  fur  a  teacher."  My  father  did  not 
i1.  in-^nt,  but  told  me  he  had  sent  word  by  Mrs.  Locke,  who  did 
washing  at  the  ConYent,  to  tell  the  Superior  not  to  receive  hia 
i!  iT-Miter.  and  Lh;itshe  had  friends  to  provide  for  her. 

A  short  time  before  7iiy  sister  went  into  the  Convent,  I  met  her 
on  Charlestown  bridge,  the  only  time  I  ever  remember  meeting 
h'T  lhep\  1  tr'n  d  to  persuade  her  from  going  into  the  Convent, 
which  .she  sreiiio  1  very  anxious  to  do,  and  wished  me  to  go  with 
li-r  to  see  the  Superior.  I  declined  doing  so,  and  said  I  should 
rather  follow  her  to  her  grave  than  have  her  go  there.  In  that 
ii'i'l  no  Kii.v  conversation  I  never  used  any  threat  toward  her, 
•.vhich  it  w.nilil  have  IKVV.I  impossible  for  me  to  do  at  any  time  ; 
aiid  the  story  vvlu'cli  afterwards  appeared  in  the  Jesuit,  that  I  had 
thrr  itcnod  to  throw  her  off  the  bridge,  or  used  any  threat,  is  a 
falsehood  from  beginuing  t«  end.  WM_  c  j.^,,^  JR 

Many  persons  who  will  read  this  Narrative,  and  have 
read  the  Boston  Report,  may  suppose  that  they  are  called 
upon  to  decide  between  the  veracity  of  the  influential  citi- 
xens  who  signed  that,  report,  and  so  humble  an  individual 
as  Miss  R.  It  is  not  so.  These  gentlemen  do  not  assert 
a  single  fact  or  belief,  in  their  own  |;IKI\V!>  iqo,  which  af- 


40  INTRODUCTION. 

fects  the  correctness  of  Miss  R.'s  statement.  Wherever 
there  is  any  contradiction  in  matter  of  fact,  it  rests  between 
Miss  R.  and  the  inmates  of  the  Convent,  relating  to  facts 
of  a  secret  nature,  which  none  but  the  Nuns,  the  Novitiates, 
and  the  Priests  could  know.  The  Superior,  when  under 
oath,  admitted  that  Miss  R.  "  would  know  every  thing 
which  took  place  during  the  time  she  was  with  us,  except- 
ing what  occurred  in  the  school  room." 

It  is  therefore  simply  a  question  of  personal  veracity,  and 
of  internal  and  external  evidence  of  truth.  Such  being  the 
case,  and  Miss  R.  having  been  presented  in  an  unfavora- 
ble and  unjust  light,  in  the  Report  of  the  Boston  Com- 
mittee, it  has  seemed  to  her  friends  that  it  was  due  to  her 
and  due  to  truth,  that  the  estimation  in  which  she  is  held 
by  those  who  know  her  best,  should  be  made  public  at 
this  time,  as  ample  proof  that  she  has  friends  to  protect  her 
from  injustice. 

The  subjoined  certificates  were  given  shortly  after  the 
publication  of  the  Report  of  the  Boston  Committee,  and 
though  many  more,  respectable  names,  might  be  obtained, 
the  number  and  character  of  those  given  must  satisfy  every 
candid  mind,  that  few  young  ladies  of  twenty,  in  any  circle, 
could  produce  better  evidence  of  their  being  entitled  to 
confidence  and  esteem. 

I  hereby  certify  that  Miss  Rebecca  T.  Reetl  has  been,  for  more 
than  two  years  last  past,  a  communicant  at  Christ  Church ;  that  I 
have  always  resarded  her  as  a  devout  person  and  exemplary  in 
her  Christian  walk  and  conversation ;  that  I  repose  great  confi- 
dent's in  her  sincerity  and  intention  to  relate,  on  all  occasions, 
what  she.  believes  to  be  the  truth. 

WILLIAM  CROSWELL, 
Rector  of  Christ  Church,  Baton. 

October  ZOth,  1834. 

Cambridgeport,  October  3d,  1334. 

This  certifies  that  Miss  R.  Theresa  Reed  attended  the  Cam- 
bridgeport Academy  several  months  within  the  last  year.  It 
gives  me  pleasure  to  add.  that  so  far  as  my  knowledge  extended, 
her  conduct  during  this  time  was  uniformly  pood. 

SAMUEL  ADAMS, 
Principal  of  Cambridgeport  Academy. 

We  the  subscribers,  having  been  acquainted  with  Miss  Rebecca 
Theresa  Reed,  previous  to  her  becoming  a  member  of  the  Ursuline 
Community  at  Mount  Benedict,  Charlestown,  and  since  leaving 
that  institution,  feel  it  due  to  the  cause  of  truth  and  justice  to  say^ 
that  we  consider  her  a  person  entitled  to  cur  confidence,  BUS- 


INTRODUCTION.  41 

taining  as  she  does  a  character  distinguished  for  iove  of  truth,  for 
unexceptionable  morals,  and  for  meek  and  modest  deportment. 
And  we  feel  it  our  duty  to  give,  and  cheerfully  do  give,  this  our 
testimonial,  to  be  used  by  her  and  her  friends  as  they  shall  deem 
most  expedient. 

September  26.  1834. 

Boston. — James  Day,  Ebenezer  F.  Gay. 

Le.ringlcm. — Jonathan  Munroe,  Rhoda  Munroe,  Susan  E.  Mun- 
roe,  John  Viles,  Sally  D.  Viles.  Sarah  H.  Viles,  William  L.  Smith, 
Solomon  Harrington,  Betsey  Harrington. 

Wobinn. — Luke  Wyman,  Ruth  Wyman,  Ruthy  B.  Wyman, 
Lucy  Wyman,  Seth  Wyman,  Sarah  R.  Wyman,  Bill  .Russell, 
John  Wade,  Hannah  Wade,  John  F.  Harris,  Phebe  Harris,  Ed- 
rmm  Parker,  Thaddeus  Parker. 

Medford. — Anna  Teel,  Anna  Briant,  Leonard  Bucknam,  Anna 
Biioknam,  Matilda  Johnson. 

f'rasic's  Paint. — Elijah  Wheeler. 

dliarlcstown, — Stephen  Symmes.  Prisrilla  Symmes,  John 
Swan.  Samuel  Gardner,  Priscilla  Reed,  Cliarles  Gordon,  Ezra 
Welsh.  Caleb  Harrington,  Sarah  Gardner.  Patience  Gardner,  Abi- 
gail Tufts,  Caroline  Griliin.  Nathan  Field,  Jacob  Page,  John 
fapley. 

Cambridseport. — E.  F.  Valentine,  N.  C.  Valentine,  Martha 
Valentine,  Jane  Valentine,  Moses  B.  Houghton,  Almira  Hough- 
ton,  Moses  Ward,  Ira  Ward,  Amos  Hazcltine,  Phebe  Hazeltine, 
Su*an  Hazeltine. 

Cftm/iridgc. — Josiah  Johnson.  Jonathan  Hunt,  Betsey  Hunt, 
O/iris  Morse,  Sullivan  B.  Ball,  William  Hunnewell. 

In  comparing  the  Narrative  of  Miss  R.  with  the  Report 
of  the  Boston  Committee,  we  ask  those  who  may  suppose 
they  meet  with  any  material  contradiction,  to  bear  iu  mind 
thnt  there  is  one  error  pervading  nearly  the  whole  of  that 
ver\  aMe  and  forcible  document.  It  is  this — adopting  as 
./</<•/*  the  exculpatory  and  laudatory  statements  regarding 
the  (Jon vent,  made  by  the  Superior  and  her  Nuns,  and  the 
i'ishop  and  his  Priests.  Thus,  the  Committee  vouch  for 
the  propriety  aud  tenderness  of  the  penances  imposed,  of 
which  they  knew  nothing  ;  they  assume  a  distinction  be- 
tween the  Ursuline  and  oilier  Nuns,  which  does  not  exist ; 
declaring  that  they  "  are  openly  engrged  in  the  most  useful 
and  elevated  offices  of  humanity  in  the  presence  of  the 
world,"  and  that  "  their  dwelling  was  accessible  at  proper 
tniirs  tn  the  parents  and  friends  of  its  numerous  inmates." 
l>ut  how  accessible  ?  Did  any  Protestant  parent  or  gtmr- 
<;iau  ever  sen  the  school  room,  or  the  sleeping  or  eating; 
looms  in  which  fifty  of  their  daughters  were  taught,  fed,  and 


42 


INTRODUCTION. 


lodged  ?  No.  Was  there  ever  any  examination  or  public 
exercise  of  the  scholars,  which  their  parents  were  allowed 
to  witness  ?  None.  Even  Hon.  S.  P.  P.  Fay.  who  states 
in  his  testimony  on  the  trial  of  Buzzell  that  he  had  had 
daughters  in  the  Convent  six  years,  and  had  visited  it  at 
all  tunes,  also  declares  on  oath — "  I  never  saw  the  school 
at  the  Convent,  and  never  but  once  went  beyond  the  par- 
lor. When  I  wished  to  see  my  children,  they  were  sent 
into  the  parlor,  and  when  I  wished  to  see  any  of  the 
"  Community,"  (their  teachers,)  saw  them  also  in  the  par- 
lor. The  only  time  I  went  beyond  the  parlor,  was  once 
when  I  saw  the  ceremony  of  taking  the  white  veil,"  (pro- 
bably in  the  chapel.)  Levi  Thaxter,  Esq.  another  highly 
intelligent  Protestant  patron  of  the  Convent,  testified  tliut 
he  was  never  in  the  school,  though  he  went  to  the  Convent 
very  frequently.  He  saw  his  daughters  in  die  parlor. 
When  he  wished  to  see  any  one  they  were  sent  for. 

T:his,  then,  is  the  whole  amount  of  "the  dwelling  hein^ 
accessible  at  proper  times  to  the  parents  and  friends"  of 
the  pupils  there.  They  were  admitted  to  a  common  parlor, 
and  not  permitted  to  enter  any  other  room  in  that  spacious 
establishment.  No  Protestant  eye  ever  saw  the  apart- 
ments of  the  Nuns,  except  on  the  occasion  when  the  se- 
lectmen of  Charlestown  examined  the  building  by  appoint- 
ment, the  day  of  the  riot.  Even  the  physician,  as  we 
understand,  never  saw  any  of  the  Relig-ieuic,  to  prescribe 
for  them,  in  their  private  apartments.  When  sick,  they 
were  attended  by  the  infirmarian,  one  of  their  own  order. 

An  attempt  to  establish  a  Protestant  school  on  such  a 
plan  of  secrecy  as  this,  would  not  be  tolerated  by  judicious 
parents  a  moment.  Are  Catholic  instructors  of  young 
ladies  more  entitled  to  confidence  in  these  respects  than 
Protestant  teachers  would  be  ?  Suppose  a  community  of 
Episcopalian  females  should  open  a  seminary  for  young 
ladies,  and  admit  no  person  to  go  beyond  a  certain  common 
visiting  room.  Suppose,  that  while  they  refused  access  to 
all  other  men  or  women,  they  freely  admitted  to  their  most 
private  apartments,  at  all  times  of  day  or  night,  a  number 
of  clergymen,  of  their  own  denomination,  by  whom  they 
were  required  to  confess  in  private,  without  reserve,  all 
their  faults,  wishes,  and  feelings,  and  submit  to  any  penan- 
ces these  clergymen  might  impose  on  them,  both  sexes 
being  under  a  solemn  vow,  which  debarred  them  from 


INTRODUCTION.  43 

ever  marrying.  Suppose  one  of  the  rules  of  the  establish- 
ment was  never  to  enter  a  room  without  first  knocking 
three  times,  and  wailing  for  the  knocks  to  he  returned. 
Would  such  an  institution,  so  conducted  hy  Protestants,  he 
approved  ? 

We  ask  a  discreet  and  discerning  community,  to  divest 
themselves  of  the  false  notion  that  the  seminary  at  Mount 
Benedict  was  invested  with  a  mysterious  sanctitv  any 
more  than  our  own  colleges  and  schools.  All  the  forms 
of  Protestant  worship  are  observed  at  Harvard  college, 
hut  who  thought  of  charging  the  young  men  with  "  sacri- 
lege," and  with  intolerance  to  the  Unitarian  religion,  when 
they  committed  riots,  and  depredations  upon  property 
there  last  summer,  for  which  they  were  indicted  ?  Even 
should  onr  state  he  disgraced  hy  a  lawless  moh  burning 
down  the  University  chapel,  in  the  impulse  of  a  blind  fury, 
incited  by  vague  rumors  that  a  student,  who  had  run. 
away,  and  been  carried  hack,  had  been  put  to  death ;  who 
would  think  of  attributing  the  deed  to  "  the  deep-seated 
repugnance  to  the"  Unitarian  "  faith  and  form  of  worship 
which  exists  in  every"  Orthodox  "community?"  Who 
would  call  upon  us,  on  this  score,  to  lay  aside  our  "preju- 
dices''1 against  Unitarianism  ? 

Where  is  the  distinction  between  the  two  cases?  The 
Convent  was  either  a  religions  establishment,  for  the  wor- 
ship of  Roman  Catholics,  or  it  was  a  seminary  of  learning 
tor  the  education  of  Protestant  young  ladies.  If  it  were 
,he  former,  it  was  no  place  for  Protestant  children.  If  it 
Kvrr  the  latter,  then  it  Is  entitled  to  no  sanctity  ;  its  "  ves- 
sels" are  no  more  "  sacred,"  its  "  cross"  is  no  more  "  holy," 
ts  "  vestments"  are  no  more  "  consecrated,"  than  are  ihe 
furniture  and  wardroue  of  the  teachers  of  a  Protestant 
lichool.  Surely  it  will  not  be  pretended  that  a  Nunnery 
vn  one  room  of  a  building  can  sanctify  a  school  kept  in 
another,  by  the  Nuns  themselves  as  teachers. 

Gfid  forbid  that  we  should  say  one  word  in  extenuation 
>f  the  outrage  upon  the  Convent.  It  was  every  thing  vile 
which  a  midnight  attack  upon  the  dwelli-.ig  of  defenceless 
females  could  lie,  where  neither  virtue  nor  life  were  sought 
or  assailed  ;  hut  we  protest  against  the  attempts  that  have, 
been  made  in  reports,  in  legal  arguments,  and  even  in  ju- 
dicial charges,  to  exaggerate  this  outrage,  as  "a  scene  of 
popnlar  madness  and  of  culpable  official  neglect,  that  can 


44  INTRODUCTION. 

hardly  find  a  parallel  in  that  period  of  the  French  Revolu- 
tion which  will  ever  be  remembered  as  the  reign  of  ter- 
ror." It  was  not  an  attack  upon  the  religious  worship  of 
the  Roman  Catholics,  and  it  did  not  have  its  origin  in  "  a 
spirit  of  intolerance,  fatal  to  the  genius  of  our  institutions." 
There  are  six  hundred  and  forty  Roman  Catholic  church- 
es and  mass  houses  in  the  United  States,  and  who  ever 
heard  of  religious  worship  in  any  of  them  being  disturbed  7 
No  longer  ago  than  the  2Gth  of  October,  1834,  a  splendid 
new  Catholic  cathedral  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  was  con- 
secrated on  SUNDAY,  amidst  the  discharging  of  cannon 
and  the  ringing  of  bells !  and  later  still,  a  Protestant 
senator  of  Ohio,  standing  in  the  streets  of  Cincinnati, 
was  compelled  to  take  his  hat  off,  in  honor  to  the  Catholic 
ceremony  of  the  passing  host .  Here  in  our  own  city  of 
Boston,  which  we  are  striving  so  hard  to  brand  with  "  in- 
tolerance," what  religious  society  has  ever  enjoyed  more 
privileges  than  have  always  been  extended  to  the  Catho- 
lics? Whose  presses  are  more  indulged  in  the  full  licen- 
tiousness of  attack  upon  their  religious  opponents,  than 
the  two  Catholic  presses  of  Boston  ?  One  of  them,  the 
Catholic  Sentinel,  not  a  month  ago,  held  the  following 
excessively  gross  language,  reflecting  on  tne  purity  of  the 
wives  and  daughters  of  all  Protestant  Christians  who  wor- 
ship at  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  That  paper  of 
February  the  7th,  1S35,  speaking  of  a  young  man  who  had 
been  converted  from  the  Catholic  to  the  Protestant  religion, 
says  that  "  he  is  loved  as  an  Adonis  by  these  incontinent 
women  and  girls  who  go  to  the  assignation  churches  to 
consecrate  their  hearts,  not  to  God,  but  lo  the  passion  of 
illicit  love." 

Here  is  the  real  intolerance  in  this  matter.  The  pre- 
vailing notion  seems  to  be  that  true  toleration  requires 
Protestants  to  shut  up  their  mouths  and  their  presses 
against  Catholics,  but  that  the  Catholics  may  say  any 
thing  they  please  against  Protestants  !  Religious  tolerance 
or  intolerance  has  no  more  just  connection  -with  the  de- 
struction of  .the  Catholic  school  at  Mount  Benedict,  than 
it  had  with  the  riots  last  summer  against  anti-slavery 
societies  in  New  York.  Orthodox  churches  were  destroy- 
ed by  lawless  mobs  in  those  outrages,  because  anti- 
slavery  lectures  had  been  delivered  in  them ;  but  who  cried 
out  religious  intolerance  then  .'  Who  thought  that  "the 


INTRODUCTION.  45 

moving  cause  of  such  violence  was  deep-seated  repug- 
nance to  the"  Orthodox  "  faith  and  form  of  worship '.'" 
And  yet  this  might  have  been  assigned  as  the  cause  of 
l hose  riots,  with  the  same  propriety  a  majority  of  a  com- 
mittee in  the  Massachusetts  Legislature,  have  recently 
declared  that  the  moving  cause  of  the  destruction  of  the 
Ursuline  Convent  was  "  that  deep-seated  repugnance  to 
the  Catholic  faith  and  form  of  worship,  which  exists  in 
almost  every  Protestant  community."  That  highly  in- 
telligent committee  go  farther,  ana  really  deprecate  the 
existence  of  "  otrong  prejudices  against  the  peculiarities 
of  that  faith."  "  Prejudice  ?"  Is  our  opposition  to  the 
"peculiarities"  of  Romish  indulgences  and  auricular  con- 
fessions a  prejudice  ?  Is  our  "  repugnance"  to  the  establish- 
ment in  this  country  of  the  monastic  institutions  which 
Luther  put  down  three  hundred  years  ago,  and  which  even 
Spain  and  other  Catholic  countries  are  beginning  to  abo- 
lish, a  "  prejudice  ?"  If  this  be  intolerance,  then  it  would 
be  intolerant  to  oppose  in  any  form  the  "  peculiarities"  of 
the  Inquisition,  should  it  finally,  after  being  driven  out  of 
Europe,  take  refuge  in  Massachusetts. 

This  cry  of  intolerance  against  ourselves,  because  a 
villainous  mob  have  burnt  down  a  Catholic,  school-house, 
is  unjust  to  our  own  character  and  institutions,  and  ought 
to  be  arrested  before  it  becomes  stamped  forever  by  the 
seal  of  history.  The  Propaganda  of  Rome,  and  the 
founders  of  the  Leopold  fund  in  Austria,  to  convert  heretics 
in  America,  could  not  have  found  belter  missionaries  for 
their  purpose,  than  the  scoundrels  who  burnt  the  Convent. 
Our  own  public  acts  and  documents  are  at  this  moment 
quoted  most  effectually  in  the  great  West,  by  the  Catholics, 
to  excite  sympathy  for  their  religion,  by  representing  it  as 
terribly  persecuted  in  this  land  of  professed  tolerance.  It 
was  the  mistaken  impulse  of  popular  indignation,  fomented 
by  the  elopement  and  mysterious  return  to  the  Convent  of 
Miss  Harrison,  and  by  the  indiscreet  threats  of  the  Su- 
perior to  the  selectmen  of  Charlestown,  that  "  the  Bishop 
has  twenty  thousand  of  the  vilest  Irishmen  at  his  com 
mand,  and  there  will  be  a  retaliafion  ;  you  will  have  your 
houses  torn  down  over  your  licads,  and  you  may  read  your 
riot  act  till  your  throats  are  sore,  and  you'll  net  quell 
them."* — It  was  these  "  facts  that  contributed  to  the  ex- 

*  Mr.  Attorney -General  Austin,  in  his  eloquent  argument  against 


46  INTRODUCTION. 

citement  which  preceded  the  outrage;  and  led  to  its  com- 
mission," and  not,  as  we  have  permitted  ourselves  to  be 
made  to  believfe  by  the  Catholics  themselves,  "  a  spirit  of 
intolerance  fatal  to  the  genius  of  our  institutions. "t 

What  then  is  our  duty  as  Christians  and  good  citizens  ? 
To  tell  the  truth,  or  to  keep  back  the  truth,  for  fear  that 
"  offences  must  epme  ?"  Are  we  not  bound  to  bring  this 
question  back  to  its  true  position,  as  an  outrage  upon  pri- 
vate property  and  personal  right,  an  invasion  of  domestic 
security  and  the  immunity  of  habitation,  and  an  offence 
against  public  justice  ana  public  decency?  Let  us  treat 
it  as  a  civil,  and  not  as  a  religious  question,  condemning  it 
as  strongly  as  if  it  were  the  destruction  of  a  Protestant 
school- house  by  a  lawless  mob  ;  and  thus  justly  relieve 
ourselves  of  the  mountain  of  odium  we  have  been  laboring 
to  heap  upon  pur  institutions,  as  if  there  really  had  been  a 
terrible  "  spirit  of  religious  intolerance"  to  ward  the  Roman 
Catholic  worship  "  unexpectedly  developed  among  us." 

It  does  not  follow  that  we  must  approve  of  the  institu- 
tion at  Mount  Benedict,  because  we  abhor  the  act  by  which 
it  was  destroyed.  We  need  not  turn  Catholics  in  order  to 
prove  that  we  are  not  intolerant  Protestants.  We  are  not 
obliged  to  unite  with  Romanists,  in  proclaiming  our  own 
religious  intolerance,  in  order  to  show  that  we  sympathize 

Buzzell,  says,  in  relation  to  this  fact  sworn  to  by  Mr.  Edward  Cut- 
ter : — "  She  (the  Superior)  is  accused  of  having  told  Mr.  Cutter 
that  'the  Bishop  had  twenty  thousand  of  the  vilest  Irishmen  under 
his  control,'  and  she  acknowledges  (much  as  such  an  acknowledg- 
ment might  be  supposed  to  operate  against  her)  that  she  said  so,  or 
something  to  that  effect." 

t  The  origin  of  the  mob  has  been  ascribed,  by  the  Superior  her- 
self, to  the  right  cause.  That  lady,  when  under  oath,  testified, 
that  while  the  Convent  was  in  flames,  "  she  told  Mr.  E.  Cutter 
that  it  all  originated  from  Miss  Harrison  going  to  his  house." 
Judge  Fay  also  testified,  that  he  left  his  daughter  in  the  Convent, 
and  went  home  leaving  a  mob  at  the  gate  of  the  Convent,  the  night 
of  the  riot,  satisfied  that  no  violence  would  be  attempted,  because, 
knowing  no  cause  for  any  other  excitement  but  Miss  Harrison 
leaving  the  Convent,  and  believing  this  was  all  explained,  he  did 
not  feel  alarmed.  It  did  not  occur  to  him  that  there  was  any  other 
cause  to  produce  such  a  result,  (the  riot.)  And  yet,  Jive  months 
after,  Judge  Fay  discovers  and  publishes  the  discovery,  that  Misa 
R.  was  the  whole  cause  of  the  mob,  because  she  had  said  to  his 
wife  nearly  two  years  ago,  that  she  hoped  to  be  an  instrument  of 
showing  the  truth ! 


INTRODUCTION.  47 

with  them  for  their  loss  of  property  by  violence.  We  are 
not  called  upon  to  shut  the  door  against  all  secessions  from 
Catholic  .Nunneries,  by  lending  our  help  to  carry  into  effect 
against  a  Protestant  daughter  of  one  of  our  own  citizens, 
the  dogma  ol  "  mother  church,"  that  whenever  a  Catho- 
lic changes  his  religion,  his  motives  and  conduct  are  to  be 
invariably  suspected,  and  his  honesty  never  trusted." 

No.  We  are  bound  to  put  forth  all  the  vigilance  and 
majesty  of  the  laws  to  detect,  and  punish  and  redress  this 
outrage  upon  the  peace  and  dignity  of  the  commonwealth; 
but  we  aro  not  bound  to  deplore  our  "  repugnance"  to  the 
Catholic  religion  as  a  disreputable  "prejudice,"  and  least 
'of  all  are  we  called  on  to  pronounce  panegyrics  upon 
Nunneries  and  Catholic  seminaries,  in  order  to  indemnify 
the  sufferers  by  inducing  more  Protestant  Christians  to 
neglect  our  own  schools,  and  send  their  daughters  to  be 
educated  in  a  Convent. 

It  is  a  question  affecting  education,  and  not  affecting  re- 
ligious toleration  :  and  it  is  time  to  correct  the  error  that 
there  is  no  distinction  in  matters  of  religious  concernment 
between  a  Catholic  ^Monastery  and  a  Catholic  Church  ; 
between  a  seminary  for  educating  Protestant  girls  by 
Catholic  teachers,  and  a  purely  religious  Community  of 
Catholics,  exercising  their  forms  of  devotion  without,  dis- 
turbing the  public  peace,  or  obstructing  othet-s  in  their  re- 
ligions worsnip.  Ncii.ier  should  it  be  forgotten  that  the 
constitution,  which  declares  that  "  all  religious  sects  and 
denominations  shall  be  equally  under  the  protection  of 
the  law,"  also  declares,  that  to  be  entitled  to  such  protec- 
tion, they  must  "demean  themselves  peaceably  and  as 
good  citizens  of  the  common  wealth." 

In  one  word,  and  as  a  full  justification  of  the  present 
publication  of  these  Suggestions  and  the  accompanying 
Narrative;  we  ask,  if  females  who  are  hereafter  to  become 
models  of  fashion  in  our  most  refined  circles  of  society, 
and  the  future  mothers  of  American  citizens,  are  to  be 
educated  in  Catholic  Convents,  is  it  not  a  matter  of  vital 
importance,  that  the  interior  discipline  of  such  institutions 
should  be  fully  made  known  .'  Our  maxim  is,  "  Prove  all 
things,  and  hold  fast  that  which  is  good." 


48 


INTRODUCTION. 


to  education  arid  works  of  charitj.  They  can  have  read  history 
to  little  purpose,  if  they  do  not  know  that  the  great  argument  in 
favor  of  all  Monasteries,  three  hundred  years  ago,  and  since,  was 
and  ever  has  been,  that  they  were  seats  of  learning  and  hospitals 
of  charity.  Take  the  following  from  Rees'  Cyclopaedia. 

"  Although  none  in  this  enlightened  period  can  approve  either 
the  original  establishment  or  continued  subsistence  of  Monasteries, 
yet  the  destruction  of  them  was  felt  and  lamented,  for  a  conside- 
rable time,  as  a  great  evil.  One  inconvenience  that  attended  their 
dissolution  was  the  loss  of  many  valuable  books,  for  during  the 
dark  ages  religious  houses  were  the  repositories  of  literature  and 
science.  Besides,  they  were  schools  of  education  and  learning, 
for  every  Convent  had  one  person  or  more  appointed  for  this  pur- 
posse,  and  all  the  neighbors  that  desired  it  might  have  their 
children  taught  grammar  and  church  music  thert,  without  any 
expense.  In  the  Nunneries,  also,  young  females  teere  taught  to 
work  ami  rend,  and  not  only  people  of  the  lower  ranks,  but  most 
of  the  noblemen's  and  ffentlemen's  daughters  were  instrttcted  in 
those  places.  All  the  Monasteries  were  also,  in  effect,  great  hos- 
pitals, and  wore  rpost  of  them  obliged  to  relieve  many  poor  people 
every  day.  They  were  likewise  houses  of  entertainment  for  all 
travellers.  And  the  nobility  and  gentry  not  only  provided  for 
their  old  servants  in  these  houses,  but  for  their  younger  children 
antl  impoverished  friends,  by  making  them  first  monks  and  nuns, 
and  in  time  priors  and  prioresses,  abbots  and  abbesses." 

It  follows,  therefore,  that  if  the  argument  of  the  Boston  Commit- 
tee, in  favor  of  establishing  Ursuline  Convents,  is  a  good  one,  it  is 
i\ist  as  eood  for  re-establishing  the  whole  monastic  system  which 
the  Reformation  abolished,  three  hundred  years  ago.  In  fact  it 
would  seem  as  if  the  admirers  of  Catholic  Cloisters  in  this  country, 
really  meant  to  set  about  seriously  reforming  back  the  Reforma- 
tion! 


SIX  MONTHS  IN  A  CONVENT. 


IN  the  summer  of  1826,  while  passing 
the  Nunnery  on  Mount  Benedict,  Charles- 
town,  Mass.,  in  company  with  my  school- 
mates, the  question  was  asked  by  a  young 
lady,  who  I  think  was  a  Roman  Catholic, 
how  we  should  like  to  become  Nuns.  I 
replied,  (after  hearing  her  explanation  of 
their  motives  for  retirement,  (fee.)  "I 
should  like  it  well,"  and  gave  as  my  prin- 
cipal reasons,  their  apparent  holy  life,  my 
love  of  seclusion,  &c.  The  conversation 
which  passed  at  that  time  made  but  little 
impression  upon  my  mind.  But  soon  af- 
ter, the  "  JReligieuse"*  came  from  Boston 

•  By  the  term  "  Religieuse*'  1  mean  those  who  constituted  the 
Urauline  Community. 


50  SIXMONTHS 

to  take  possession  of  Mount  Benedict  as 
their  new  situation.  We  were  in  school, 
but  had  permission  to  look  at  them  as 
they  passed.  One  of  the  scholars  re- 
marked, that  they  were  Roman  Catho- 
lics, and  that  our  parents  disapproved  of 
their  te  lets.  The  young  lady  who  before 
asked  the  question,  how  we  should  like 
to  become  Nuns,  and  whose  name  I  have 
forgotten,  was  affected  even  to  tears  in 
consequence  of  what  passed,  and  begged 
them  to  desist,  saying,  "  they  were  saints; 
God's  people ;  and  the  chosen  few ;"  that 
"they  secluded  themselves  that  they 
might  follow  the  Scriptures  more  perfect- 
ly, pray  for  the  conversion  of  sinners, 
and  instruct  the  ignorant*  in  the  princi- 
ples of  religion."  This  conversation, 
with  the  solemn  appearance  of  the  Nuns, 
affected  me  very  sensibly,  owing  pro- 
bably to  the  peculiar  state  of  my  feel- 
ings. The  impressions  thus  made  re- 

•  By  the  ward  ignorant  is  mear.-t  what  they  term  heretics. 


IN     A     CONVENT.  51 

mained  on  my  mind  several  months; 
and  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years  and  four 
months  I  asked  my  parents  if  they  were 
willing  I  should  become  an  inmate  of  the 
convent.  This  proposition  my  parents 
were  inclined  to  treat  as  visionary ;  but 
they  soon  discovered  themselves  to  be  in 
an  error.  Nothing  of  consequence  was 
said  upon  the  subject;  but  soon  after, 
owing  to  the  delicacy  of  my  health,  and 
other  reasons,  it  was  deemed  expedient  for 
me  to  visit  my  friends  in  New  Hampshire, 
and  being  fond  of  retirement,  this  arrange- 
ment accorded  very  well  with  my  feelings. 

While  in  New  Hampshire  I  spent  ma- 
ny pleasant  hours,  which  I  think  of  with 
delight.  Memory  oft  brings  to  view  and 
faithfully  delineates  those  hours  of  retire-' 
rncnt  and  happiness  which  I  imagined  I 
should  spend,  were  I  an  inhaUtant  of  a 
cloister. 

While  writing  this  narrative,  1  often 
lament  my  little  knowledge  of  history, 
for  had  I  been  more  acquainted  with  it,  1 


52  SIX    MONTHS 

do  not  think  I  ever  should  have  united 
myself  to  an  institution  of  this  nature. 
But  to  proceed ;  I  never  could  prevail  on 
my  parents  to  say  much  on  this  subject. 
I  kept  silence,  resolving  in  my  own  mind 
to  become  acquainted  with  some  one  who 
would  introduce  me  to  the  Superior  of  the 
Ursuline  Community,  but  did  not  ask  any 
one  till  after  the  death  of  my  mother. 
Previous  to  that  event,  I  had  become  ac- 
quainted with  Miss  M.  H.,  a  domestic  in 
Mr.  H.  J.  K.'s  family,  near  my  father's 
house,  in  Charlestown. 

After  my  mother's  decease,  while  re- 
siding-with  my  father,  my  sisters  being 
absent,  Miss  H.  came  to  our  house  and 
begged  me  to  keep  her  as  a  domestic  a 
little  while,  as  she  had  no  place.  She 
had  walked  a  great  way  for  the  purpose 
of  seeing  Mr.  K.,  who  had  moved  away. 
This  was  in  the  fall  of  1 830.  After  con- 
sulting with  my  father,  I  concluded  to  let 
her  stay.  She  found  me  in  great  trouble 
and  grief,  in  consequence  of  the  absence 


IN    A     CON  VENT.  53 

of  my  two  younger  sisters,  whom  I  very 
dearly  loved,  and  who  had  gone  to  reside 
with  my  sisters  in  Boston.  After  family 
prayers  were  over,  and  I  about  retiring, 
I  stepped  from  my  room  to  see  if  Miss  H. 
had  extinguished  her  lamp,  when,  to  my 
surprise,  I  found  her  kneeling  and  hold- 
ing a  string  of  beads.  I  asked  her  what 
she  was  doing.  She  did  not  speak  for 
some  time.  When  she  did,  she  said  she 
was  saying  her  "Hail  Marys."*1  I  asked 
her  what  the  "  Hail  Marys"  were,  at  the 
same  time  taking  hold  of  the  beads.  She 
then  said,  "  I  say  my  prayers  on  these  to 
the  Blessed  Virgin."  My  friends  will  of 
course  excuse  my^  curiosity  at  this  time, 
for  I  had  never  before  learned  their  man- 
ner of  praying  to  saints  and  angels.  Be- 
fore I  left  her,  she  showed  me  an  Ag- 


•  Catholic  Prayer,  (translated  from  the  Latin.) — "Hail, 
Mary  !  full  of  grace  ;  our  Lord  is  with  thee  !  Blessed  art  them 
among  women,  and  blessed  is  the  fruit  of  thy  womb,  JBSUS  ! 
Holy  Mary,  mother  of  God,  pray  for  us,  sinners,  now  and  at  the 
hour  of  our  death.  Amen." 


54  SIX     MONTHS 

nus  Dei,*  which  she  wore  to  preserve 
herself  from  the  temptations  of  Satan.  I 
cannot  remember  all  the  conversation 
which  passed  the  next  day  on  the  sub- 
ject, but  I  learned  that  she  had  been  ac- 
quainted with  the  Nuns  in  Boston,  and 
was  also  acquainted  with  the  Superior. 

The  first  pleasant  day,  I  asked  her  to 
accompany  me  to  the  Superior,  which  she 
did,  and  appeared  by  her  questions  to 
know  my  motive.  She  introduced  me  to 
the  Superior  in  the  following  manner. 
We  were  invited  by  a  Lay  Sisterf  to  sit, 
who,  after  retiring,  in  a  few  moments 
made  her  appearance,  requesting  Miss  H. 
to  see  her  in  another  room.  Soon  after, 
the  Superior  came  in  and  embraced  me 
with  much  seeming  affection,  and  put  the 
following  questions  to  me: — how  long 
since  the  death  of  my  mother  ;  whether  I 
ever  attended  the  Catholic  church,  or 

•  Lamb  of  God; — a  small  piece  of  wax  sewed  up  in  silk  in  th* 
form  of  a  heart, 
t  Those  Nuns  who  are  occupied  in  domestic  affairs. 


IN    A    CONVENT. 

'«iew  any  thing  of  the  principles  of  their 
religion  ;  what  I  had  heard  respecting 
them;  of  their  order;  my  views  of  it; 
what  progress  I  had  made  in  my  studies ; 
whether  I  had  attended  much  to  history ; 
knew  any  thing  of  embroidery,  draw- 
ing, or  painting,  or  any  other  ornamental 
work;  whether  I  had  ever  assisted  in 
domestic  affairs.  After  which  questions, 
taking  my  hand,  she  said,  "  O,  it  feels 
more  like  a  pancake  than  any  thing 
else."*  She  inquired  in  what  capacity  I 
desired  to  enter  the  institution,  whether 
as  a  Recluse  or  a  scholar ;  whether  I  had 
done  attending  school,  &c.  I  replied  that 
I  did  not  consider  my  education  complete ; 
that  I  wished  to  go  into  the  school  at- 
tached to  the  Nunnery  on  the  same  terms 
as  other  pupils,  until  I  had  made  suffi- 


•  This  may  appear  laughable,  but  as  I  intend  to  publish  all 
which  will  be  for  the  benefit  of  the  reader,  I  cannot  refrain  from 
mentioning  this,  in  order  to  show  the  course  of  flattery,  Sec.  made 
use  of  by  the  Superior  and  those  connected  with  the  establishment, 
to  draw  the  inexperienced  into  their  power,  and  make  them  con- 
verts to  the  religion  of  the  Pope. 


56  SIX    MONTHS 

cient  progress  to  take  the  veil  and  become 
a  Recluse ;  that  my  father  was  averse  to 
my  becoming  a  Nun,  but  I  was  of  opinion 
that  he  would  concur  with  my  Episcopal 
friends,  in  not  objecting  to  my  becoming 
a  pupil  In  the  course  of  the  interview, 
the  Superior  conversed  much  upon  the 
Scriptures,  and  intimated  that  I  ought  to 
make  any  sacrifice,  if  necessary,  to  adopt 
the  religion  of  the  cross;  repeating  the 
words  of  our  Saviour,  "  He  that  loveth 
father  or  mother  more  than  me,  is  not 
worthy  of  me,"  &c. 

At  a  subsequent  interview  the  Superior 
desired  me  to  see  the  Bishop,  or  clergy, 
remarking,  she  believed  I  had  a  vocation 
for  a  religious  life,  and  the  Bishop  would 
tell  me  whether  I  had  or  not.  She  also 
asked  if  I  was  acquainted  with  a  Catho- 
lic friend  who  would  introduce  me  to  the 
Bishop,  and  mentioned  a  Mr.  R.,  who 
would  introduce  me  to  him.  I  was  un- 
acquainted with  Mr.  R.,  but  had  seen 
him  at  my  sister's  house  in  Boston.  She 


IN    A    CONVENT.  57 

said  that  the  Bishop  or  Mr.  R.  would 
also  discuss  the  matter  with  my  father, 
and  reconcile  him  to  Catholicity.  After 
consulting  some  friends  who  were  in  fa- 
vor of  the  Catholic  religion,  I  consented 
to  see  Mr.  R. ;  who,  being  requested, 
called  at  my  father's,  gave  me  some 
scripture  proofs  of  the  infallibility  of  the 
Romish  Church;  as,  "Thou  art  Peter, 
and  upon  this  Rock  I  build  my  church, 
and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail 
against  it;"  and  "whose  sins  ye  retain 
they  are  retained,  and  whose  sins  ye  re- 
mit they  are  remitted."  "  He  that  will 
not  hear  the  church,  let  him  be  to  thee  as 
an  heathen 'man  and  a  publican."  He 
(Mr.  R.)  desired  I  would  secrete  the  pa- 
per upon  which  the  texts  were  quoted. 
He  then  took  his  leave,  saying  he  would 
call  to  see  me  in  town  soon  at  the  Misses 
S.,  when  he  would  introduce  me  to  the 
Bishop. 

1  will  here  remark,  that  previous  to  my 
joining  the  Community,  I  heard  of  many 


58  SIX    MONTHS 

miracles  wrought  by  Catholic  Priests. 
Mrs.  G.  brought  a  lady  one  day  in  a 
chaise  to  show  me  her  eyes,  which  were 
restored  by  means  of  a  Priest,  Dr.  O'F. 
She,  as  Mrs.  G.  stated,  was  totally  blind, 
but  having  faith  in  miracles,  she  knelt  to 
her  confessor,  requesting  him  to  heal  her. 
After  touching  her  eyes  with  spittle  and 
holy  oil,  she  immediately  "  received  her 
sight." 

Before  the  next  interview  with  the  Su- 
perior, I  visited  my  Protestant  friends,  the 
Misses  S.;,  when  Mr.  R.  called  and  pro- 
posed to  introduce  me  to  the  Bishop.  He 
accordingly  accompanied  me  to  the  Bish- 
op's, and  introduced  me  as  the  young 
lady  who  wished  to  become  acquainted 
with  the  tenets  of  the  Church,  and  recom- 
mended to  him  by  the  Honored  Mother  the 
Superior,  with  directions  for  his  ascertain- 
ing my  vocation  as  a  fit  subject  for  a  Re- 
cluse. The  Bishop  asked  me  if  I  knew  the 
meaning  of  the  word  "  Nun ;"  how  long  I 
had  thought  of  becoming  a  Nun ;  my  opi- 


IN    A    CONVENT.  59 

nion,  and  the  opinion  of  my  friends,  in  re- 
gard to  Catholicity.  And  as  my  feelings 
were  easily  wrought  upon,  more  particu- 
larly at  this  time,  questions  were  put  to 
rne,  which  more  mature  deliberation  leads 
me  to  think  were  put  under  the  impres- 
sion that  I  was  very  ignorant,  and  which 
were  very  unpleasant  for  me  to  answer. 
He  even  went  so  far  as  to  judge  my  se- 
cret thoughts,  saying  he  knew  what  was 
then  passing  in  my  mind.  I  then  took 
my  leave,  undecided  what  course  to  pur- 
sue, and  very  little  edified  by  the  conver- 
sation of  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop.  The  Bish- 
op gave  directions  to  Mr.  R.  to  pur- 
chase a  Catechism  of  the  Catholic  Church 
in  the  diocese  of  Boston,  (published  with 
the  approbation  of  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
Fen  wick,)  which  I  refused  to  accept. 

About  a  week  afterwards  I  called  upon 
the  Superior,  and  made  her  acquainted 
with  my  conversation  with  the  Bishop; 
likewise  with  my  re/usal  of  the  Cate- 
chism. On  learning  that  my  desire  was 


60  SIX    MONTHS 

still  strong  to  become  an  inmate  of  the 
Convent,  she  smilingly  said,  that  for  one 
so  young  as  I  was,  to  wish  to  seclude 
myself  from  the  world  and  live  the  life 
of  a  Religiense,  was  impossible.  I  re- 
marked I  did  not  like  the  Bishop  so  well 
as  I  expected.  She  exclaimed,  "O!  he 
is  one  of  the  servants  of  God ;  he  did  so 
to  try  your  vocation;"  and  said  that  I 
should  like  him  the  better  the  next  time 
I  saw  him.*  After  recommending  me  to 
pray  for  grace,  she  caused  me  to  kneel 
and  receive  her  blessing ;  after  which  she 
embraced  me,  and  I  returned  to  my  fa- 
ther's house.  I  shortly  after  visited  the 
Misses  H.  in  Charlestown,  and  was  intro- 
duced to  Mrs.  G.,  who  was  acquainted 
with  the  tenets  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
and  also  with  Mr.  B.,  the  Catholic  Priest. 
After  a  short  acquaintance  with  her  I 

•  I  did  like  him  the  next  time  that  I  called  upon  him,  for  he 
conversed  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  and  after  learning  my 
name,  said,  "  Is  it  possible  that  you  have  a  saint's  name  !"  and 
gave  me  St.  Teresa,  as  my  namesake,  a  beautiful  wax  figure,  ha- 
bited as  an  Ursuline  Nun. 


INACONVENT.  61 

was  requested  to  converse  with  Mr.  B. 
the  Priest,  which  I  did,  and  liked  him 
very  much.  He  also  supplied  me  with 
books,  from  which  I  learned  that  I  ought 
to  venerate  and  receive  the  religion  of  the 
Catholic  Church  as  the  only  one  and  true 
religion. 

On  Good  Friday  evening,  I  heard  the 
most  affecting  Catholic  sermon,*  in 
Charlcstown,  I  ever  listened  to,  upon  the 
Passion  of  our  divine  Redeemer.  I  soon 
after  visited  at  Mrs.  G.'s,  where  I  saw  a 
fine  drawing,  exhibiting  the  peaceful  and 
flourishing  condition  of  the  Holy  and 
Apostolic  Church,  until  the  time  of  the 
Reformation  under  Martin  Luther.  Mrs. 
G.  recounted  the  sufferings  of  the  Catho- 
lic Church  in  consequence  of  this  "pre- 
tended" reformation.  My  friends  will 
understand,  that  by  this  time  I  had  be- 
come a  constant  visitor  at  the  Convent. 
On  being  sent  for  at  one  time  by  the  Su- 
perior, 1  met  the  Bishop  at.  the  Convent, 


62  SIX    MONTHS 

who  was  playing  with  the  dogs ;  at  the 
same  time  the  Superior  hastily  approach- 
ing, embraced  me  in  the  most  affection- 
ate manner ;  as  she  did  ever  afterwards 
when  I  visited  her  at  the  Convent. 
She  introduced  me  to  the  Bishop  again, 
who  did  not  appear  to  recognise  me,  and 
said  that  I  was  sister  to  the  lady  who 
visited  him  in  Boston.  At  this  time  I 
thought  the  Superior  and  Bishop  the 
most  angelic  persons  living,  and  in  one 
instance  gave  way  to  anger  in  conse- 
quence of  hearing  a  few  words  spoken 
against  them.  On  being  told  that  my 
mind  remained  still  the  same,  the  Bishop 
remarked,  "  I  will  pray  for  you,"  and  re- 
commended to  me  the  advantage  of  con- 
tinuing under  the  instruction  of  the  Priest, 
and  said  he  should  like  to  see  my  father 
or  sister. 

After  the  interview  with  the  Bishop,  I 
returned  to  my  father's,  who  was  much 
displeased  with  the  steps  I  had  taken, 
and  bade  me  renounce  all  connection  with 


INACONVENT.  63 

the  Catholics,  or  leave  my  friends.  (This 
he  said  in  a  moment  of  excitement.) 
But,  being  so  much  attracted  by  the  ap- 
parent holiness  of  the  inmates  of  the 
Convent,  and  viewing  this  as  the  only 
true  Church,  I  wished  to  become  a  mem- 
ber of  it. 

Perhaps  it  will  be  proper  to  state  some 
of  Mrs.  G.'s  conversation.  After  hearing 
from  her  a  pleasing  account  of  the  life  of 
a  Nun,  &c.,  I  mentioned  I  should  like  to 
become  one,  and  would,  if  I  could  pre- 
vail on  my  father  and  friends  to  consent ; 
hut  unless  I  could,  I  must  despair,  as 
they  would  not  be  willing  to  advance  the 
money  which  would  be  needed  to  go 
there.  She  replied,  "It  is  not  money  that 
will  ever  induce  them  lo  take  you;  it 
must  all  be  the  work  of  God."  She 
asked  me  what  my  Church  friends*  said 
upon  the  subject.  On  my  telling  her  that 
they  were  reconciled  to  my  entering  the 


64  blX    MONTHS 

institution,  particularly  as  a  scholar ;  that 
they  liked  the  seclusion  of  the  Convent, 
&c.  Mrs.  G.  stated  she  could  see  not  the 
least  objection  to  my  following  my  own 
inclination.  I  then  took  my  leave, 
promising  to  see  her  at  my  friend  Mrs. 
H.'s.  The  next  time  I  saw  her,  she  ad- 
vised me  to  leave  my  father's  house  and 
all,  for  the  sake  of  Christ.  She  said  she 
would  procure  me  ornamental  work, 
which  would  support  me,  independent  of 
my  relatives,  &c.,  which  she  did.  I 
thanked  her  most  heartily,  and  told  her 
I  thought  I  should  be  happy,  if  I  were 
certain  of  going  to  a  Cloister.  She  gave 
me  her  word  that  I  should.  I  then  took 
up  with  her  advice  and  left  my  friends, 
I  thought  for  life,  as  I  had  no  doubt  but 
that  I  should  soon  enter  the  Convent,  re- 
solving to  leave  all  for  the  love  of  God, 
and  to  consecrate  the  remainder  of  my 
days  to  his  service.  I  believed  Mrs.  G. 
to  be  my  sincere  friend,  and  an  Episcopa- 
lian, as  she  had  always  told  me  she  was, 
and  placed  myself  under  her  protection. 


IN     A     CON  VENT.  65 

After  visiting  some  Protestant  friends,  I 
found  means  to  procure  my  clothing,  &c., 
and  went  immediately  to  reside  opposite 
the  Catholic  church.  I  employed  myself 
while  there  in  doing  ornamental  work  for 
my  Catholic  friends,  and  also  in  working 
lace  for  the  Bishop,  the  altar,  &c.  About 
this  time  I  was  offered  compensation, 
hut  refused  it,  and  received  a  present  of 
ten  dollars,  a  crucifix,  a  pearl  cross,  and 
two  hooks,  with  my  name  stamped  upon 
them  in  gold  letters,  which  presents  I  re- 
ceived as  tokens  of  kindness  and  friend- 
ship.* And  wishing  to  deny  myself  of 
any  thing  worldly,  I  gave  up  what  jew- 
elry I  had,  telling  them  I  knew  of  no 
greater  sacrifice  I  could  at  that  time  make, 
than  to  give  up  all  the  treasures  my  dear 
mother  left  me.  I  also  gave  my  globe 

•  I  wish  to  have  it  understood,  that  the  lettering  on  these  books 
W.TS  my  new  name,  "  Mary  Agnes  Teresa."  My  baptismal  name, 
it  will  bo  recollected,  is  Rebecca  Theresa.  The  books  were 
given  me  by  Mrs.  G. ,  who  said  they  were  from  the  Bishop;  and 
he  afterwards,  in  the  Convent,  confirmed  the  statement,  saying,  ha 
knew  at  that  time  of  my  vocation,  and  for  that  reason  ««r/.  T.;a  a 
religious  name,  which  wn?  i  Saint'*  name. 


66  SIXMONTHS 

and  goldfish,  which  were  a  present  to 
me.  At  that  time  I  thought  I  was  holy^ 
and  could  hardly  speak  to  a  Protestant. 
I  had  read  many  Catholic  books.  My 
time  was  wholly  employed  in  working  for 
the  Catholics,  except  my  hours  for  medi- 
tation and  prayers. 

The  ordinance  of  baptism*  was  ad- 
ministered to  me  by  Mr.  B.,  himself  and 
a  Mrs.  P.  standing  sponsors  for  me ;  my 
former  baptism  being  considered  by  the 
Catholics  invalid.  While  in  Charlestown, 
I  stood  sponsor  for  Mrs.  G.'s  daughter,  of 
whom  I  shall  speak  in  the  course  of  this 
narrative.  I  would  here  remark,  had  I 
taken  up  with  the  advice  given  me  by 
many  of  my  friends,  I  should  not  now 
have  the  unpleasant  duty  of  relating  these 
facts  ;  but  so  it  was  ;  I  had  imbibed  a  re- 
lish for  what  I  supposed  to  be  "  real 
pleasures,"  but  which,  alas  !  I  have  found, 

•  At  Ihe  time  of  my  baptism,  I  was  anointed  with  oil ;  a  piece 
of  salt  was  put  in  my  mouth,  the  Priest  breathing  three  times  upon 
me,  and  touching  my  eyes,  ears,  and  nose  with  spittle,  speaking 
Latin  all  the  while.  They  profess  to  take  these  ceremonies  from 
the  ScrijTtnrflH. 


IN    A     C  ON  VENT.  67 

by  sad  experience,  to  belike  the  "  waters 
of  Marah."  At  an  interview  with  the 
Superior,  I  was  introduced  to  two  of  the 
"  chosen  Religieuse,"  the  mother  assis- 
tant and  Mrs.  Mary  Benedict.  The  first 
question  asked,  was  what  word  I  brought 
from  my  friends.  On  my  hesitating  to 
give  an  answer,  she  insisted  upon  knowing 
what  they  said  ;  on  which  I  told  her  all 
they  had  said,  word  for  word,  as  nearly 
as  I  could  recollect ;  also  the  advice  I  re- 
ceived from  a  Mr.  E.,  which  appeared  to 
displease  her  much ;  and  although  she 
strove  to  suppress  her  feelings,  it  was  evi- 
dent she  was  much  displeased. 

After  some  questions  respecting  Mr.  E., 
the  Superior  remarked,  he  was  none  other 
than  the  man  who  made  children's  books. 
She  also  questioned  me  with  regard  to  a 
conversation  which  took  place  between 
my  brother  and  myself  on  Charlestown 
bridge,  (which  was  published  in  the 
"  JESUIT,"*  highly  exaggerated,)  and  ap- 

•  I  afterwards  asked  Priest  B.  to  explain  w Hal  it  meant ;  he 


68  S  I  X     M  O  N  T  H  S 

peared  greatly  pleased  with  the  language 
of  my  brother,  saying,  with  peculiar  em- 
phasis, "  O,  you  will  die  a  martyr  to  the 
cause  of  truth,  should  you  die  under  per- 
secution." I  took  my  leave  of  her,  pro- 
mising to  call  again  when  she  should  de- 
sire. 

After  this,  she  wrote  a  letter  to  my 
father,  of  the  contents  of  which  I  was 
then  ignorant,  hut  have  since  learned  it 
contained  offers  of  two  or  three  quarters' 
schooling,  free  of  expense.  My  father 
says  he  treated  it  with  contempt ;  and  his 
answer  by  the  bearer  was  briefly  this  : 
"  he  wished  me  to  have  nothing  to  do 
with  that  institution  ;  that  my  friends 
would  prefer  my  going  to  a  Protestant 
seminary."  At  my  next  interview  with 
the  Superior,  she  however  told  me,  my 
father  had  become  reconciled  to  my  re- 
maining with  them  two  or  three  quar- 
ters ;  after  which  time,  he  would  inform 

said  Dr.  O'F.  made  a  mistake  in  writing  it  for  the  press ;  and 
he  promised  it  should  be  corrected.  For  the  paragraph  from  the 
Jesuit,  see  Introduction. 


INACONVENT.  69 

them  whether  he  could  consent  to  have 
me  stay  there  longer,  as  a  teacher  of  mu- 
sic.* She  previously  presented  me  with 
some  slate  pongee,  which  was  the  uni- 
form dress  worn  Ly  the  scholars  in  the 
public  apartments ;  telling  me  at  the  same 
time  to  prepare  myself  and  have  my 
things  ready  by  such  a  day.  She  asked 
me,  if  I  should  come  without  the  consent 
of  my  Boston  friends,  if  I  supposed  they 
would  insert  any  thing  in  the  public  pa- 
pers, or  make  any  disturbance,  or  come 
there  for  me  ?  to  which  I  replied,  I  thought 
not.  After  preparing  myself  for  a  public 
reception,  I  visited  the  Superior,  when 
she  said,  if  I  would  place  myself  under 
her  care  from  this  time,  she  would  pro- 
tect me  forever ;  and  particularly  from  the 
persecution  of  the  "heterodox;"  and  she 

•  I  attended  music,  because  the  Superior  desired  it ;  and  she  as- 
sured me  there  was  no  need  of  assistance  from  my  friends,  even 
if  my  father  had  consented,  for  I  could  with  my  needle  be  of  suf- 
ficient use  to  the  Community  to  support  myself  without  their 
assistance.  She  also  told  me  I  should  study  when  I  chose,  and 
might  have  the  privilege  of  coming  into  the  Religieuse  Community 
to  recite  to  her. 


70  SIX    MONTHS 

looked  to  heaven  above  for  her  reward.* 
She  then  stated  that  the  Bishop  had  con- 
cluded to  receive  me,  not  as  a  member  of 
the  public  department,  but  as  a  "  Novi- 
tiate," which  would  screen  me  from  the 
questions  of  the  Protestant  scholars.  She 
also  added,  that  I  should  be  received  as 
the  other  Sisters  were,  and  that  we  were 
to  support  ourselves  by  our  talents  and 
industry.  The  names  of  the  Sisters  were, 
Mrs.  Mary  Ursula,!  Miss  Mary  Magda- 

•  I  wish  it  to  be  understood,  that,  being  influenced  by  the  Superior 
and  Mrs.  G.'s  advice,  after  hearing  Romish  preaching  and 
reading  their  books,  I  went  to  board  at  Mrs.  H.'s,  opposite  the 
Catholic  church,  where  I  employed  my  time  in  ornamental  work  ; 
visited  the  Convent  often,  and  informed  myself  as  much  as  possi- 
ble of  a  Recluse's  life ;  lived  as  retired  as  the  "  Charity  Sisters," 
except  visiting  some  of  my  relatives  three  times,  twice  accompa- 
nied with  Romish  friends. 

f  Mrs.  Mary  Ursula  came  from  New-Hampshire,  and  was  re- 
ceived as  Choir  Religieuse.  She  was  the  eldest  in  the  Commu- 
nity; this  I  learned  from  the  Superior,  who  often  reprimanded 
her  for  saying  many  words  in  an  uncouth,  rustic  manner,  (such 
as  daoun  for  down,  &c.)  telling  her  of  her  ignorance,  &c.  She 
never  refused  complying  with  the  rules,  but  when  reprimanded, 
would  kneel  at  once,  and  kiss  the  floor.  I  often  wished  to  ask  if 
she  was  happy,  but  dared  not  speak  (without  permission)  tc  her. 
Their  proceedings  appeared  so  strange,  that  I  was  in  continual 
fear.  The  Novices  frequently  trembled  when  approaching  "th« 
mother,"  particularly  at  confession. 


INACONVENT.  71 

lene,  Miss  Mary  Joseph,  and  Miss  Mary 
Austin.  The  latter  was  both  teacher  and 
pupil.  I  answered  that  I  should  like  those 
conditions  best.  She  then  desired  me  to 
kneel  down  and  take  the  following  obli- 
gation :  "  I  do,  with  the  grace  and  assis- 
tance of  Almighty  God,  renounce  the 
world  for  ever,  and  place  myself  under 
your  protection,  from  this  day  to  conse- 
crate myself  to  his  honor  and  glory,  in  the 
house  of  God,  and  to  do  whatever  obedi- 
ence prescribes,  and  tell  no  one  of  this 
obligation  but  Mr.  R,  in  confession." 
After  this,  the  Superior  summoned  two  of 
the  "  Choir  lleligieuse,"  who  conducted 
me  to  the  garden,  where  they  left  me  to 
amuse  myself.  Presently  the  Superior 
joined  me,  wishing  to  know  how  I  liked 
the  garden,  the  flowers,  &c.  Observing  a 
pocket  album  in  my  hand,  she  asked 
what  I  had  hoarded  up  there ;  some 
worldly  goods  ?  She  took  it,  and  examin- 
ing it,  desired  to  know  if  I  wished  to 
keep  some  money  I  had  in  it,  (fifteen  dol- 


72  SIXMONTHS 

lars.)  I  replied  no  ;  as  1  was  going  to  join 
them,  I  would  intrust  it  to  her  care.  She 
also  requested  me  to  sing  one  tune  ;  I  com- 
plied, and  sung  "  There's  nothing  true  but 
Heaven."  Her  observation  was,  she 
should  wish  me  to  commence  immediately 
with  music.  I  then  left  the  Convent,  and 
attended  the  sacraments  of  confession  and 
communion ;  and  on  Sabbath  morning, 
August  7th,  1831,  I  was  attended  to  the 
gate  of  the  Convent  by  my  friend,  Mrs. 
G.  I  was  shown  into  the  public  parlor 
by  the  Lay  Sister,  and  was  requested  to 
kneel  and  continue  my  devotion,  until  the 
Superior  made  her  appearance.  She  soon 
came,  and  made  a  sign  for  me  to  follow 
her.  She  led  the  way  into  a  long  room, 
darkened,  at  one  end  of  which  stood  a 
large  crucifix,  made  of  bone,  which  I  was 
afterwards  informed  was  made  of  the 
bones  of  saints.  The  Superior  told  me, 
in  a  whisper,  it  was  the  time  of  silence. 
But  after  arranging  my  dress,  she  took 
from  her  toilet  a  religious  garb,  which 


INACONVENT.  73 

she  placed  upon  my  head,  and  hade  me 
kiss  it,  saying  it  had  been  blessed  by  the 
Bishop.  She  then  pronounced  a  short  Latin 
prayer,  while  I  was  kneeling,  at  the  same 
time  giving  me  her  blessing.  After  this, 
she  conducted  me  into  another  apartment, 
where  was  a  stranger,  whom  she  called  a 
Postulant  •.*  and  giving  me  permission  to 
speak,  she  left  the  room.  A  Lay  Sister 
then  entered  the  room  with  refreshment, 
after  partaking  which,  we  had  permission 
to  walk  in  one  particular  path  in  the 
garden.  This  stranger  picked  up  a  pear, 
and  began  to  eat  it,  and  invited  me  to  do 
the  same;  which  I  declined,  being  ac- 
quainted with  the  rules  of  the  Convent, 
which  are  very  strict,  as  will  be  learned 
in  the  course  of  the  narrative.  She  did 
not  regard  the  rules  so  strictly  as  the  Su- 
perior required,  who,  being  made  ac- 
quainted with  her  conversation  by  sepa- 
rately questioning  us.  sent  her  away,  as 


Candida;*  for  a  Recluse 


74  SIX    MONTHS 

she  said,  to  another  order  ;*  but  I  now 
know  that  this  was  not  the  case.  V 

To  return  to  our  walk  in  the  garden ; 
the  bell  rang,  when  we  were  immediately 
conducted  to  the  Religieuse  Choir ;  and 
here  the  Superior  caused  me  to  kneel  three 
times,  before  I  could  suit  her.  After  the 
perfcrmances  were  over,  which  consisted 
of  the  office  of  adoration  to  the  Blessed 
Virgin  and  prayers  to  the  Saints,  repeated 
in  the  Latin  tongue,  of  which  I  knew 
nothing,  we  proceeded  to  the  refectory, 
where  we  partook  of  our  ''portions." 
After  saying  Latin,  we  kneeled  and  kissed 
the  floor,  at  a  signal  given  by  the  Supe- 
rior on  her  snuffbox.  Before  eating,  one 
of  the  Religieuse  said,  "  In  nomine  domini 
nostri  Jesu  Christe,"f  all  making  the  sign 

•  I  believed  she  had  gone  to  another  order,  aad  after  returning 
to  my  Sisters,  lold  them  so.  (together  with  my  pastor.)  that  she 
was  with  the  Sisters  of  Charity  ;  when,  to  my  surprise,  she  called 
upon  me,  said  she  had  never  thought  of  going  to  another  order, 
and  that  the  Superior  had  not  done  by  her  as  she  agreed. 

t  In  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  When  opportunity 
offered,  1  asked  Uxe  Superior  to  explain  the  meaning.  She  said,  ir. 


INACONVENT.  75 

of  the  cross,  and  responding,  "Amen." 
After  receiving  our  portions,  we  performed 
several  devotions,  such  as  kissing  the  floor 
and  repeating  Latin,  while  the  "  Ange- 
lus  "  was  ringing.  We  then  went  imme- 
diately to  the  "community/'  On  enter- 
ing this  room,  the  "Novices"  kneel  and 
\-epeat  the  "  Ave  Maria/'*  kiss  the  floor, 
and  seat  themselves  for  recreation,  ac- 
cording to  the  rules  given  by  the  Superi- 
or, entitled,  "  Rules  by  the  Reverend 
Mother."  The  following  are  the  rules, 
which  were  inclosed  in  a  gilt  frame  and 
suspended  in  the  community :  and  it  is 


a  very  solemn  manner.  "You  mus"  not,  my  dear  Sister,  give  way 
to  curiosity.  Do  you  not  recollect  it  is  against  the  rules  for  a 
Relisieusp  to  do  so?"  I  answered,  '''Yes,  Mamere!"  and  com- 
plied at  one  '\  (liy  kissing  the  floor.)  when  she  observed  :  "A 
Religieuse  should  never  have  a  will  of  her  own  ;  as  she  grew  in 
perfection  in  the  order,  she  would  understand  what  these  words 
mean  ;  it  will  be  revealed  to  you  when  you  are  deserving."  She 
taught  me  to  belH-ve  that  the  "Office  of  the  Blessed  Virgin," 
(which  was  in  Latin,  and  which  we  all  repeated,  without  under- 
standing it.)  was  none  other  than  that  chanted  in  heaven  by  the 
Saints,  around  the  throne  of  the  Almighty,  and  called  the  sweet 
communion  of  "Ail  Saints." 
•  Hail  Marv. 


76  SIX   MONTHS 

the  duty  of  every  Novice  to  read  them,  at 
least,  once  a  week. 

1.  To    rise   on  the   appearance  of  the 
Superior. 

2.  When  reprimanded,  to  kneel  at  once 
and  kiss   the  floor,    until   the    signal   be 
given  to  rise. 

3.  When  speaking  of  the  Superior,    to 
say  our   Mother ;  when   speaking  to  her, 
and  to  the  professed  Choir  Religieuse,  Ma- 
mere;  to  say  Sister,  when  speaking  to  the 
Novices ;  of  them,  Miss ;  and  of  the  pro- 
fessed Choir,  Mrs.  ;  to  say  our  or  ours,  in- 
stead of  my  or  mine. 

4.  To  say    "  Ave  Maria"    every   time 
we  enter  the  community. 

5.  Before  entering  any   room,   to  give 
three  knocks  on  the  door,  accompanied  by 
some  religious  ejaculation,  and  wait  until 
they  are  answered  by  three  from  within. 

6.  Not  to  lift  our  eyes  while  walking  in 
the  passage  ways ;  also,  never    to  touch 
each  other's  hands. 


INACONVENT.  77 

7.  To  stand  while   spoken   to  by  the 
Bishop   or    Superior,    and    kneel    while 
speaking  to  them;  to  speak  in  a  particu- 
lar tone. 

8.  If  necessary  to  speak  to  the  Supe- 
rior during   a  time  of  silence,  approach 
her  kneeling,  and  speak  in  whispers. 

9.  Never  to  leave  a  room  without  per- 
mission, giving  at  the  same  time  our  rea- 
sons. 

10.  To    rise    and    say    the    "  Hour"  * 
every  time  the  clock  strikes,  except  when 
the  Bishop  is  present,  who,  if  he  wishes, 
makes  the  signal. 


•  "  The  Hour. — O  sacred  heart  of  Jesus  !  always  united  to  the 
will  of  thy  Father,  grant  that  ours  may  be  sweetly  united  in  thine. 
Heart  of  Mary  !  an  asylum  in  the  land  of  our  captivity,  procure 
for  us  the  happy  liberty  of  the  children  of  Jesus.  May  the  souls 
of  the  faithful  departed,  through  the  merits  of  Christ  and  mercies 
of  God,  rest  in  peace.  Amen." 

The  above  is  what  is  called  an  Hour  ;  there  is  a  different, 
though  similar  one,  for  each  of  the  twenty-four  hours  in  the  day. 
They  are  written  and  placed  in  two  gilt  frames,  over  the  mantle- 
piece  ;  twelve  over  the  heart  of  IVIary  in  one,  and  twelve  over  the 
heart  of  Jesus  in  the  other.  Every  time  the  clock  strikes,  the  <jn,s 
whose  turn  it  is  to  lecture  rises  and  says  one  of  them. 


78  INACONVENT. 

The  following  are  the  written  "Rules 
and  Penances  of  our  Holy  Father ',  Saint 
Augustine"  together  with  those  of  Saint 
Ursula,  as  near  as  I  can  recollect.  They 
are  read  at  the  refectory  table  every 
week. 

1.  To   kneel    in   the  presence   of  the 
Bishop,  until  his  signal  to  rise. 

2.  Never  to  gratify  our  appetites,  ex- 
cept with  his  holiness   the  Bishop's  or  a 
Father  Confessor's  permission. 

3.  Never  to  approach  or  look  out  of  the 
window  of  the  Monastery. 

4.  To  sprinkle  our  couches  every  night 
with  holy  -water. 

5.  Not  to  make  a  noise  in  walking  over 
the  Monastery. 

6.  To  wear  sandals  and  haircloth ;  to 
inflict  punishment    upon  ourselves  with 
our  girdles,  in  imitation  of  a  Saint. 

7.  To  sleep  on  a  hard  mattress  or  couch, 
with  one  coverlet. 

8.  To  walk  with  pebbles  in  our  shoes. 


IN    A    CONVENT.  79 

or  walk  kneeling  until  a  wound  is  pro- 
duced. Never  to  touch  any  thing  without 
permission. 

9.  Never  to  gratify  our  curiosity,  or  ex- 
ercise our  thoughts  on  any  subject,  with- 
out   our    spiritual    director's    knowledge 
and  advice.  Never  to  desire  food  or  water 
between  portions. 

10.  Every  time,   on  leaving  the  com- 
munity, to  take  holy  water  from  the  altar 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  make  the  sign, 
of  the  cross. 

11.  If  a  Religieuse  persist  in  disobey- 
ing the  Superior,   she  is    to    be  brought 
before  the  Bishop  of  the  diocese,  and  pun- 
ished as  he  shall  think  proper.     Never  to 
smile  except   at  recreation,  nor  even  then 
contrary  to  religious  decorum. 

12.  Should  the  honored  Mother,  the  Su- 
perior, detect  a  ReUfriense  whose  mind  is 
occupied  with  worldly  thoughts,   or  who 
is  negligent  in  observing  the   rales  ut'  tlu 
Monastery,   which  are  requisite  and  ne- 
cessary to  her   perseverance  and  perfec- 


3D  SIX   XC5  T«* 

troc  m.  a  reLuziocs  li^e.  she  shoe'd 

•1..1  refy  cause    her    to    retire  to  her  ce£i, 

^rhere  see  -lOG-d  -=i_:trr  ia:o  a  retreai 

I  5r.a...  now  ':oi_-muK  my  nim^^e  ;:' 
the  rsna^xLer  oc  -uiie  lirsz  ciaj.  A:  r=- 
cresnocu  the  Poscn-in:  and  I  ha_i  p^-r.  ~ 
sion.  »  erriirai:^.  IXL  i  ftev  ibcra.  •±.«=  /?/:«."*- 
giifuje.  Arier  ihai  ihey  coaafarolajkeii  rcc 
on  ELJ  success,  say-ji^  i±^y  had  ever  pr2.~- 
•=c  &;<•  cue  5^1-:^  tney  ruid  n^ard  <:>•:"  tny  T  > 
'lancn.  The  •f~-iii_i.r  ;«ri.  ioc  the 


coir, 

i_i£s  15  I  oei.>r;r  ~  -i.':'^'   "ij.*i_  nine  ii  r'-rrj- 

»'*•?.         A  •«    TP"^   '>5"':-?":r    i~i"i^l  t^:":,    U^IP;  ^S'!I~e*"."^ 


-    or:e\:3.        -rx:  n-:cr._jLi  leui^1    -:-     -^ 


»n^g;-:-.j 


:1'T_-L  Lf 


„,- 


82  SIX    MONTHS 

knowledge  that  we  have  been  guilty  of 
breaking  the  rules  of  our  Holy  Order,  by 
lifting  our  eyes  while  walking  in  the  pas- 
sage-ways; in  neglecting  to  take  holy 
water  on  entering  the  community  and 
choir ;  failing  in  respect  to  our  Superior, 
and  veneration  to  our  Father ;  failing  in 
religious  decorum,  and  in  respect  to  our 
vows, — poverty  and  obedience ;  for  which 
we  most  humbly  ask  pardon  of  God, 
penance  and  forgiveness  of  you,  our  Holy 
Mother."  As  each  one  finishes,  the  "Holy 
Mother"  gives  her  advice  and  penances, 
and  her  blessing ;  they  then  kiss  her  feet, 
and  sometimes  make  the  cross  with  their 
tongues  on  the  floor ;  then  making  their 
inclination,  they  retire  to  the  choir  to  per- 
form the  penances. 

After  they  are  all  assembled  in  the 
choir,  the  Superior  says,  Kyrie  eleison, 
end  they  all  answer,  Kyrie  eleison ;  the 
Supetior  says,  Cliriste  eltison,  and  they 
answer,  Christe  cleison,  &c.  &c.  She  then 
says  Litany  to  the  Saints  in  Latin,  be- 
ginning with  "  Sancta  Maria,"  and  they 


IN    A    CONVENT.  83 

respond,  "  Ora  pro  nobis,"  &c.  &c.  This 
ceremony  is  very  solemn.  It  is  performed 
until  eight  o'clock,  A.  M.,  when  we  re- 
ceive our  portion,  sitting  on  the  floor.  The 
bell  rings  at  half-past  eight  for  young 
ladies'  recreation.  Then  we  attend  to 
study  until  a  quarter  before  eleven  ;  then 
private  lecture  until  eleven;  then  bell  rings 
for  the  examination  of  conscience  till  a 
quarter  past  eleven;  then  for  diet.  The 
services  at  diet*  are,  after  repeating 

•  Our  diet  consiste.1  of  the  plainest  kind  of  food,  principally 
vegetables  and  vegetable  soups,  Indian  puddings,  and,  very  sel- 
dom, meat.  Our  tei  was  made  of  herbs,  sometimes  of  the  bitter- 
est kind.  We  partook  of  this  diet  in  imitation  of  the  Holy 
Fathers  of  the  Desert,  to  mortify  our  appetites.  Pumpkins, 
stewed  with  molasses  and  water,  served  us  sometimes  as  a  dessert. 
Occasionally  we  had  mouldy  bread  to  eat.  A  very  insignificant 
piece  of  butter  was  sometimes  placed  on  our  plates.  The  Supe- 
rior's diet  was  far  better  than  ours  ;  sometimes  it  was  sumptuous, 
wine  not  excepted.  I  ascertained  this,  as  1  occasionally,  in  turn, 
went  round  to  gather  the  fragments.  She  sent  me.  on  two  occa- 
sions, some  apple  parings  to  eat.  as  a  part  of  my  portion.  Some- 
times the  Religieu.se  deny  themselves  any  diet;  prostrate,  kisstha 
fuel  of  those  who  remain  at  table,  performing  various  kinds  of 
penance,  while  the  others  are  eating  anil  lisr-iiing  to  the  reading. 
Those  who  have  permission  to  deny  themselves  in  the  mcming, 
take  their  work-baskets  as  they  pass  to  the  refectory  ;  where  they 
sew  by  candle-light,  as  the  lecturess  is  reading.  This  has  a  so- 
lemn and  impressive  appearance. 


84  SJXMONTHS 

Latin : — first,  they  seat  themselves  in  or- 
der upon  a  bench,  first  crossing  themselves 
in  their  appointed  places,  on  one  side  of  a 
long,  narrow  table ;  before  each  one  lies  a 
small  linen  napkin  or  servet,  rolled  around 
another  small  cloth,  containing  a  knife  and 
fork ;  beside  each  servet  is  a  plate  contain- 
ing the  "portion;"  then  the  Superior  enters 
and  passes  along  to  her  table,  at  the 
head  of  the  room,  the  Nuns  making  their 
inclinations  as  she  passes.  She  then  makes 
a  signal  on  her  snuff  box,  and  the  "  Reli- 
gieuse,"  whose  turn  it  is  to  speak,  says, 
"  Benedicite ;"  the  Superior  answers,  U13e- 
nedicite;"  and  so  it  continues,  in  a  similar 
manner,  from  one  to  the  other,  the  "  Effi- 
cient"* repeating  a  Latin  prayer.  The  Su- 
perior then  makes  the  signal  for  the  lectu- 
ress  to  read  from  the  Lives  of  the  Saints 
and  Martyrs,  while  the  others  are  eating. 
When  the  signal  is  given,  each  one  rolls 
up  the  knife  and  fork  in  the  napkin,  and 

•  The  Efficient  is  one  who  repeats  prayers  and  officiates  during 
the  office  and  serves  at  Mass. 


INACONVENT.  85 

lays  it  as  she  found  it ;  (they  also  open  it 
at  a  signal;)  and  the  one  whose  turn  it  is 
to  do  so,  after  kissing  the  floor,  as  a  token 
of  humility,  takes  from  the  drawer  a  white 
apron  and  a  basket  containing  a  napkin, 
and  after  putting  on  the  apron,  brushes  the 
fragments  from  the  tables  into  the  basket, 
and  takes  the  servets,  making  her  inclina- 
tion to  each  one.  She  then  takes  the 
articles  off  the  Superior's  table,  one  by 
one  in  a  napkin,  in  a  solemn  manner.  If 
any  eatables  fall  on  the  floor,  they  must 
be  taken  up  in  a  napkin,  and  not  by  any 
means  with  the  bare  hands. 

After  this,  the  Superior  makes  a  signal, 
and  the  lecturess  and  before-mentioned 
Relig'wuse  kneel  in  the  middle  of  the  floor 
and  kiss  it,  and  immediately  rise  and  join 
the  others  in  repeating  the  Latin  prayers ; 
after  which  the  lecturess  rings  the  An- 
gelus.  During  this  ringing,  they  all  kneel 
and  repeat  it.  then  assemble  in  the  com- 
munity for  "  recreation."  During  this 
they  are  permitted  to  converse  with  one 


86  SIXMONTHS 

another,  but  in  a  particular  and  low  tone, 
and  only  on  such  subjects  as  the  Superior 
shall  give  them ;  if  she  be  absent,  the 
conversation  is  usually  on  the  subject  last 
read  at  the  table ;  and  they  work  during 
the  time.  After  recreation,  public*  lec- 
tures take  place,  and  at  one  o'clock  the 
bell  rings  for  "  visitation"  to  the  altar, 
which,  with  the  Vespers,  occupy  us  an 
hour  and  a  half.  Then  the  Rosary  is  said. 
On  hearing  the  bell  again,  we  all  assem- 
ble in  the  community,  where  there  is  a 
"point  of  prayer''  read.  Then  lessons 
occupy  us  until  five  ;  meditation  and  re- 
flection half  an  hour  longer;  then  the 
bell  again  rings  for  diet,  where  we  go 
through  the  observances  before  named; 
then  recreation  forty-five  minutes ;  then 
the  miserere,  during  which  the  bell  rings  ; 
then  public  prayers  in  the  choir  ;  then  the 
Bcnedictus  rings,  and  the  Lay  Sisterst 

•  Public  lecture  means  a  subject  read  aloud  by  the  lecturess. 

t  One  Lay  Sister  remains  kneeling  in  the  entry  until  we  get  to 
the  psalm  called  Te  Deum,  when  she  rings  while  we  are  say'ne  it 
The  Religieuse  bow  ot  kneel,  &c.,  but  do  not  join  in  saying  tua 
office. 


INACONVENT.  87 

come  up  into  the  choir.  Matins,  lauds, 
and  prayers  continue  from  seven  until 
nine  o'clock,  when  we  retire  while  the 
bell  is  ringing,  except  those  who  attend 
lessons  and  penances.  This  concludes  a 
day  and  its  services.  The  same  course 
was  pursued  everyday  except  Fridays  and 
Sundays,  when  there  was  some  variation. 
I  had  become,  in  about  a  week,  appa- 
rently so  great  a  favorite  of  the  Superior, 
that  although  remiss  in  duties,  it  was  in 
a  measure  overlooked.  She  would  even 
reprimand  the  Religieuse  for  my  example 
and  my  faults  ;  one  instance  of  which  1 
will  give.  Failing  to  arrange  the  Superi- 
or's toilet  and  seat  and  cricket,  it  being 
my  turn,  one  of  the  Religieuse  was  repri- 
manded in  my  stead,  and  immediately 
knelt  and  kissed  the  floor.  After  this  I  was 
sent  for  to  the  Bishop's  room,  where  the 
young  ladies  assemble  on  Mass  morning, 
and  after  kneeling,  &c.,  the  Superior  asked 
me  how  things  appeared;  if  they  ap- 
peared as  I  thought  they  would  ;  if  I  liked 


88  SIX     MONTHS 

my  food,  &c.  Feeling  a  repugnance  to 
answer  her,  she  said,  "Recollect  yourself." 
I  told  her  I  Jiked  all  pretty  well,  except 
my  couch.  She  left,  telling  me  to  beg  the 
intercession  of  Saint  Teresa.  The  next 
day  my  couch  was  exchanged  for  a  better, 
and  the  image  of  Saint  Teresa  put  near 
it,  for  my  use. 

Soon  after  I  became  an  inmate  of  the 
Convent,  the  Bishop  came  into  the  com- 
munity, and  said,  "  How  does  that  little 
Nun  ?  And  what  have  you  done  with 
Sister  Stimson  ?"  The  Superior  answered, 
that  she  was  not  fit  for  the  order,  and  she 
had  sent  her  on  to  the  Sisters  of  Charity. 
(See  note  on  page  74.)  He  then,  address- 
ing me,  asked  how  I  liked  Mount  Bene- 
dict. I  said,  "  Very  well,  my  Lord."  He 
then  said,  "  O,  but  you  will  have  to  strive 
with  the  temptations  between  the  good 
and  evil  spirits;"  and  he  then  explained 
all  the  horrors  of  Satan ;  and  n  sked  me 
where  Saint  Teresa,  my  namesake,  was ; 
and  if  I  had  read  her  life ;  and  told  me  to 


SNA     CONVENT.  89 

say,  as  she  did,  these  words,  "  Now  come, 
all  of  you;  I,  being  a  true  servant  of  God, 
will  see  what  you  can  do  against  me," 
by  way  of  challenge  to  the  evil  ones ;  and 
beg  her  intercession.  He  told  me  my 
sister  had  been  to  see  if  I  had  taken  the 
veil,  or  had  any  thought  of  taking  it ;  and 
he  said  I  might  rest  contented,  as  my 
friends  would  trouble  me  no  more.*1  He 
then  told  me  the  difference  between  a  holy 
life  and  a  worldly  life;  said  the  Devil 
would  assail  me.  as  he  did  Saint  Teresa, 
and  make  me  think  I  ought  to  go  back  to 
the  world  ;  and  make  me  offers  of  worldly 
pleasures,  and  promise  me  happiness.  In 
order  to  prevent  this.  I  must  watch  and 
pray  all  the  lime,  and  banish  entirely 
•worldly  thoughts  from  my  mind;  and 
throw  holy  water  at  the  evil  spirits,  and 
challenge  them  to  come  if  they  dare. 
Perceiving  the  unpleasant  effect  this  had 

•  I  have  since  "learned  it  was  my  sister  and  another  lady.  They 
say  he  ;«ld  then-,  I  had  not  taken  the  veil,  hut  hoped  I  soon  wouli* 
doit. 


90  SIX    MONTHS 

on  my  feelings,  he  portrayed  in  lively 
colors  the  happiness  which  would  flow 
from  my  resisting  the  evil  spirits,  and  what 
a  crown  of  glory  would  be  placed  on  my 
head  by  the  angels. 

According  to  my  Confessor's  orders,  I 
took  upon  myself  many  austere  penances, 
&c. ;  but  the  Superior,  noticing  my  ex- 
haustion from  this  cause,  released  me  from 
the  austerities  for  a  time,  saying  I  was  a 
favored  one  ;  and  she  gave  rne  permission 
to  rest,  while  the  others  rose  to  say 
midnight  matins*  and  hear  Mass.  On 
the  exaltation  of  the  holy  cross,  the  Bishop 
gave  us  his  blessing,  we  all  kneeling  in 
the  community.  Tn  conversation  with 
the  Sisters,  he  remarked  one  had  not  a 
very  pleasant  countenance;  and  he  asked 
me  how  I  was  pleased  with  my  teacher, 
saying  he  hoped  she  put  a  more  pleasant 
countenance  on  while  instructing  me. 


•  Midnight  mass  and  midnight  matins  are  said  at  night  during 
Lent,  and  midnight  mass  always  on  Christmas.  This  is  a  time  of 
•awia)  burnUtatkn-  in.'  pra.t«i. 


IN    A     CON  V  E  N  T.  91 

Once,  while  walking  with  the  Bishop 
and  Superior,  we  met  a  stranger,  upon 
which  the  Superior  required  us  to  turn 
our  backs  while  she  conversed  with 
him.  After  he  left  the  garden,  the  Bishop 
and  Superior  held  some  conversation  to- 
gether apart  from  us,  of  which  I  overheard 
the  following  words  of  the  Bishop  :  "  I 
fear  he  did  not  come  here  accidentally,  as 
he  stated,  but  for  some  particular  purpose." 
Immediately  the  Mother  Assistant  came 
to  me,  saying  that  gentleman  looked 
very  much  like  me,  and  asked  me  if  he 
was  not  my  brother ;  and  having  per- 
mission to  look,  I  answered,  "  No,  he  is 
not."  We  then  retired  within  the  Convent. 
The  Bishop  observed  to  me  just  before  we 
•went  in,  that  that  gentleman  looked  no 
more  like  me  than  one  of  the  dogs  of  the 
Convent. 

I  was  particularly  hurt  in  witnessing 
the  austerities  put  on  a  Religieuse,  named 
Sister  Mary  Magdalene,  who  came  from 
Ireland,  Once,  while  reciting  the  office, 


92  SIX   MONTHS 

she,  by  accicbnt  or  losing  breath,  spoke  in 
a  lower  key  than  she  should  ;  at  a  signal 
from  the  Superior,  she  fell  prostrate  before 
her  desk,  and  remained  so  for  one  hour, 
until  the  office  was  finished,  when  she 
had  permission  to  rise.  This  was  the 
first  time  I  thought  the  Superior  had  done 
wrong.*  Soon  after  this,  in  private  con- 
fession to  the  Superior,  she  appeared  de- 
termined to  know  my  thoughts,  and  put 
many  questions  to  me  that  were  hard  to 
answer.  I  would  here  remark,  that  this 
is  the  practice  at  auricular  confessions. 
She  told  me  to  beg  the  intercession  of  my 
patron  Saint,  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and 
Saint  Ursula.  I  complained  to  her  of 
my  strength's  failing,  and  of  my  diet,  not 
being  such  as  I  was  used  to ;  she  replied, 
that  a  Religieuse  should  have  no  choice, 
and  that  I  should  have  left  my  feelings 
in  the  world ;  and  she  immediately 

«  The  Superior  often  made  mistakes  in  repeating  the  office,  by 
endeavoring  to  repeat  it  without  the  book.  And  I  learned  after- 
wards from  Mary  Francis  that  the  Superior  did  not  understand  it. 


IN     A     CONVENT.  93 

imposed  the  following  penances: — to 
make  the  sign  of  the  cross  on  the  floor 
with  my  tongue,  and  to  eat  a  crust  of 
bread  in  the  morning  for  my  portion. 
The  first  of  these  penances  I  did  not  fulfil 
to  the  letter,  making  the  sign  of  the  cross 
with  my  hand  instead  of  my  tongue.* 

After  this  a  daughter  of  my  friend  Mrs. 
G.  came  to  the  Convent,  and  was  permitted 
to  spend  some  time  with  me  in  private. 
I  also  had  some  trifles  given  me  as 
presents  for  this  little  girl,  and  leave  to 
send  what  word  I  wished  to  my  friends. 
This  girl  told  me  at  the  time,  she  was 
coming  there  to  school  soon ;  I  therefore 
sent  by  her  my  love  to  my  friends,  in- 
forming them  that  I  liked  the  Convent 
very  well,  and  should  be  very  happy  to 
see  them,  if  they  would  not  speak  against 
my  religion.f 

•  I  would  state  to  the  reader,  that  those  things  were  received  on 
my  part  with  great  repugnance;  hut  the  Superior  said  tl  ey  were 
to  prove  my  vocation,  and  I  submitted  without  a  inunrur. 

t  This  message  my  friends  never  received,  as  I  have  since 
learned.  I  was  deceived  in  regard  to  the  friendship  of  Mrs.  G. 


94  SIXMONTHS 

Soon  preparations  were  made  for  my  tak- 
ing the  VOIDS  of  a  Religieuse,  a  Novena 
(nine  days'  devotion)  being  said  for  me, 
and  for  my  perfection  in  a  religious  life,  and 
prayers  for  the  conversion  of  my  friends. 
About  this  time  my  sponsor,  the  Priest, 
visited  the  Convent,  and  talked,  as  I  then 
thought,  like  a  godlike  person.  My  recep- 
tion was  to  take  place  privately,  because 
we  wished  to  keep  my  father  ignorant  of 
the  manner  in  which  I  had  been  received; 
and  because  he  might  hear  of  it,  should  il 
take  place  publicly ;  as  he  had  before  said, 
I  was  not  eighteen,  and  ho  could  prevent 
my  going  there.  They  said  he  could  not 
prevent  me,  as  I  was  now  of  age.  I  was 
perfectly  happy  at  this  time,  and  presented 
the  Superior  with  some  lines  of  poetry, 
which  gave  her  proof  of  my  sincerity  and 
contentment. 

SI  10  appeared  very  much  pleased  with 
the  verses,  embraced  me  very  affectionate- 
ly, and  expressed  her  hearty  approbation 
of  my  perseverance  in  performing  the 


INACONVENT.  95 

duties  of  the  order,  and  said  the  request 
for  her  entreaties  that  I  might  persevere  in 
a  religious  life  should  be  granted,  and  she 
would  show  the  lines  to  the  Bishop.  She 
accordingly  did  so,  when  he  was  present 
one  day,  and  he  said  he  must  write  my 
conversion,  for  it  was  so  much  like  Saint 
Teresa's,  my  namesake.  After  this  she 
gave  orders  to  have  all  my  worldly  dresses, 
being  ten  in  number,  and  other  articles  of 
wearing  apparel,  altered  for  those  young 
ladies  whom  she  clothed  and  educated ; 
and  for  me  she  ordered  a  long  habit  to  be 
prepared,  which  vvas  to  be  blessed  by  the 
Bishop  :  also  a  veil,  which  they  said  de- 
noted purity  and  innocence. 

One  time  I  failed  in  rising  at  the  Ange- 
lus.*  which  was  not  noticed  by  the  Su- 
perior. The  next  morning  a  Religieuse 
did  not  rise  until  the  ringing  of  the  Ange- 
las, and  when  she  came  into  the  refectory 

•  My  time  was  to  rise  at  the  Angelas,  which  was  tuns  at  five, 
while  the  Religieuse  rose  at  four,  except  on  holy-day  mornings, 
when  tftey  rose  at,  tUroe. 


96  SIX    M  ONTH  S 

we  were  at  diet.  She  brought  her  pillow, 
and  kneeling,  kissed  it,  and  said  as 
follows  : — "  I  have  neglected  to  obey  the 
commands  of  the  Superior,  and  have  not 
risen  until  the  An  gems,  which  I  am  most 
heartily  sorry  for;  and  I  humbly  ask 
pardon  of  God  and  penances  of  you,  our 
Holy  Mother."  The  Superior  said  no 
one  who  disobeyed  her  commands  should 
be  permitted  to  remain  in  this  Monastery. 
Her  penance  was  to  kiss  the  floor  and  re- 
main kneeling  until  lecture  and  diet  were 
over. 

The  Bishop,  about  this  time,  came  to 
examine  our  work.  &c.  After  hearing  us 
sing,  he  complimented  us.  said  he  should 
hardly  have  thought  that  I  could  have 
learned  of  heretics  to  sing  and  work  so 
well ;  and  desired  me  to  learn  him  to 
work  lace,  as  he  feared  I  should  not 
finish  his  robe  for  Christmas.  After  being 
presented,  as  usual,  with  wine,  he  retired, 
The  Bishop's  wine  is  nresented  in  a 
golden  cup.  The  Rehgieuse  wu.o  pre- 


IN    A     CON  VENT.  97 

scnts  it  remains  kneeling   until   he   has 
drank  it. 

As  was  usual  on  Saturday  evening,  after 
signifying  our  obedience  to  the  Superior, 
by  prostrating  and  kissing  the  floor,  we 
received  permission  to  visit  the  "  sanctum 
sanctorum"  on  Sabbath  morning,  to  re- 
ceive the  eucharist,  all  of  us  except  my 
teacher,  (the  one  who  the  Bishop  said  did 
not  look  pleasant,  and  whom  I  saw  in 
tears  on  Sunday  morning.)  The  Superior 
made  a  signal  for  me  to  follow  her  into 
the  Bishop's  room,  when,  first  inquiring 
into  my  feelings,  as  she  usually  did,  she 
asked  me  what  I  thought  of  my  teacher ; 
if  she  had  put  any  questions  to  me  while 
at  my  lessons ;  and  how  long  before  I 
thought  I  should  be  able  to  pronounce  my 
vows,  and  take  charge  of  a  class  in  music. 
She  asked  me,  at  another  time,  what  I 
thought  was  the  reason  of  my  teacher's 
crying;  (her  name  was  Miss  Mary 
Francis.)  I  replied  I  did  not  know.  She 
said  it  was  the  operation  of  the  Holy 


98  SIX   MONTHS 

Spirit,  and  her  devotional  feelings  were 
very  deep. 

The  next  day,  while  we  were  at  our 
recreations,  Miss  Mary  Francis  appeared 
in  great  distress  from  some  cause,  and  in 
tears.  She  soon  after  pencilled  a  few 
lines,  and  approached  the  Superior  kneel- 
ing, &c.,  and  presenting  the  paper ;  she 
appeared  confused  and  very  angry,  and 
bade  her  take  a  seat.  After  this  the  Su- 
perior thought  it  necessary  for  me  to  re- 
tire to  the  infirmary  and  take  an  emetic, 
which  I  did  the  next  day.  The  day  after 
this  I  had  orders  to  take  medicine,  which 
I  was  averse  to,  and  on  my  declining,  the 
infirmarian*  made  the  sign  of  the  cross  a 
number  of  times,  and  told  me  it  was  the 
Superior's  orders,  and  I  could  not  avoid 
taking  a  part  of  it.  I  remained  in  the 
infirmary  two  days  without  a  fire,  and 
the  weather  was  very  cold.  I  had  then 

•  The  infirmarian  is  one  who  tends  upon  the  sick.     I  wa»  as 
•well  as  usual  when  I  took  the  emetic. 


INACONVENT.  99 

permission  to  go  to  the  choir,  where  I 
immediately  fainted,  at  which  the  Supe- 
rior was  angry,  and  said  in  a  whisper 
she  had  told  me  /  ought  not  to  have  any 
feelings. 

For  a  while  Sister  Mary  Francis  was 
not  present  at  the  office  and  recreative 
as  usual,  and  the  Superior  gave  as  a  rea- 
son for  her  absence  that  she  was  ill.  But 
it  will  be  necessary  for  me  to  leave  for  a 
moment  Miss  Mary  Francis,  and  speak  of 
Miss  Mary  Magdalene.  The  latter  was 
put  over  me  as  a  teacher  in  the  room  of 
Mary  Francis,  vvhom  I  then  supposed  to 
be  sick ;  but  I  afterwards  learned  that  she 
was  confined,  that  she  might  have  a  better 
opportunity  to  clear  herself  of  the  temp- 
tations of  Satan.  Sister  Mary  Magda- 
lene told  me  she  was  about  to  leave  this 
world,  and  wished  to  give  me  some  advice. 
She  said  she  thought  it  was  God's  will  to 
take  her  to  himself.  After  reminding  me 
of  the  respect  due  to  the  Superior,  and  of 
my  negligence  in  not  kissing  the  floor  in 


100  SIX    MONTHS 

the  choir,  and  of  my  looking  up  while 
walking  in  the  passages,  she  then  spake 
of  Sister  Mary  Francis ;  said  she  would 
soon  be  able  to  give  me  lessons  as  before ; 
but  wished  to  know  which  of  the  Novices 
I  thought  had  the  best  vocation  for  a  re- 
ligious life,  and  which  one  would  be  most 
likely  to  return  to  the  world.  To  the  lat- 
ter I  replied,  "Sister  Mary  Francis."  She 
asked  why.  I  said  she  did  not  appear  to 
observe  the  rules  so  strictly  as  the  others. 
She  asked  me  if  that  would  be  any 
inducement  for  me.  I  replied,  "  No,  not 
that."  She  appeared  unable  to  talk,  but 
notwithstanding  her  weak  state  and 
trembling  hands,  she  sewed  all  the  time. 
I  told  her  it  gave  me  pain  to  see  her 
distress  herself  so.  With  a  peculiar 
emphasis  she  said,  "  Sister,  obedience  /" 
and  in  a  very  affecting  manner  made  the 
sign  of  the  cross. 

While  at  my  lessons  one  day,  in  the 
hours  of  silence,  the  Superior  and 
Mother  Assistant  came,  wishing  me  to  tell 


IN   A    CONVENT.  101 

them  where  Miss  Mary  Francis  was.  I 
replied  I  had  not  seen  her.  They  left  the 
room,  and  soon  Miss  Mary  Francis  enter- 
ed, in  tears.  The  Superior  followed,  and 
seizing  her  by  the  arm,  shook  her  violently, 
threatening  to  punish  her  for  disobedience, 
and  wished  she  had  a  cell  austere  enough 
to  put  her  in,  and  exclaimed,  "  Shame  ! 
shame !  you  '  disedify'  Miss  Mary 
Agnes."*  She  then  told  her  not  to  feign 
sickness  again,  but  to  show  by  her  appe- 
tite her  illness.  After  the  penance  of 
kissing  the  floor,  &c,  she  gave  her  a 
number  of  prayers  to  copy  for  the  Pro- 
testant scholars.  And  from  that  time  we 
were  watched  with  the  strictest  scrutiny. 
The  next  day  the  Superior  gave  me  per- 
mission to  write  to  my  father.  She  said 
Miss  Mary  Francis  was  crazy,  and  she 
should  not  keep  her  in  the  Convent  more 
than  a  month  longer,  if  she  did  not  reform. 

•  All  the  Nuns  have  the  name  of  Mary,  and  added  to   it  is  the 
oame  of  some  canonized  Saint.   Miss  Mary  Agues  was  :ny  name. 


102  SIX    MONTHS 

Mary  Francis'  grief  will  be  well  re- 
collected by  those  in  the  public  apart- 
ments. The  next  day  I  wrote  to  my 
father.  The  letter1*  was  corrected  by  Miss 
Mary  Francis,  who  was  not  crazed,  as 
stated  by  the  Superior.  I  then  whispered 
to  her,  (it  being  the  time  of  silence,)  and 
asked  the  cause  of  her  grief.  She  wrote 
on  a  slate,  "  she  could  not."  A  Reli- 
gieuse  was  in  the  room,  watching  us  very 
narrowly,  and  to  mislead  the  Religieuse, 
she  reminded  me  of  making  false  syntax. 
We  next  met  in  the  community  for  recrea- 
tion. The  Superior  gave  the  Mother 
Assistant  permission  to  speak ;  (Miss 
Mary  Francis  was  absent.)  She' began 
by  asking  how  she  did.  The  Superior 
answered,  "  She  goes  on  in  her  old  way ;" 
and  observed  that  she  was  unfit  for  the 
order.  The  Mother  Assistant  said,  "O, 
Mamere,  let  me  pray,  at  least,  a  month 
longer  for  her;"  and  turning  to  tiic  No- 

•  This  letter  was  never  received  by  my  father. 


IN  A    CONVENT.  103 

vices,  asked  them  to  join  with  her.  The 
Superior  granted  her  permission,  but 
handed  her  a  letter  to  read.  The  Mother 
Assistant,  turning  to  us.  said,  "  Sisters, 
pay  attention.  This  letter  is  from  Miss 
Mary  Francis'  aunt,  Miss  I.,  of  New 
York."  The  substance  of  it  was,  that 
she  had  received  her  (the  Superior's)  letter, 
and  was  sorry  to  have  recommended  to 
her  that  person,  but  she  thought  she  had 
reformed,  and  would  be  a  suitable  member 
for  a  Monastery  ;  and  she  begged  pardon 
for  introducing  one  to  her  who  had  dis- 
turbed the  peace  of  her  little  Community, 
and  hoped  if  it  were  possible  she  would 
not  long  be  troubled  with  her,  &c.  The 
Superior  said,  after  the  close  of  the  letter, 
"Sisters,  you  may  still  continue  to  pray  for 
her,  and  1  will  see  about  this  thing,  as  it 
may  be  a  temptation  of  the  adversary." 
Two  or  three  days  after  this,  I  met  Miss 
Mary  Francis  at  my  lessons  in  the  com- 
munity, and  again  asked  her  to  tell  me 
her  distress  by  writing  on  the  slate  or  I 


104  SIX    MONTHS 

would  tell  the  Superior  I  could  not  learn 
of  her.  She  begged  I  would  not,  and  told 
me  she  was  under  a  solemn  obligation  not 
to  make  known  the  cause  of  her  grief. 
She  asked  me  if  I  was  happy ;  I  told  her  1 
was  not  to  see  her  unhappy,  and  again 
entreated  her  to  tell  me  the  cause  of  her 
tears.  She  said  I  must  not  tempt  her  to 
break  her  promise,  for  if  we  were  detected 
in  conversation,  she  would  be  made  still 
more  unhappy.  I  then  asked,  if  she  had 
recovered  from  her  illness,  why  she  did 
not  go  to  her  class,  &c.  Shesaid  the  Supe- 
rior had  forbidden  her,  but  she  could  not 
answer  any  other  questions.  I  had  formed 
a  strong  attachment  for  this  lady,  and  it 
gave  me  pain  to  see  her  so  distressed. 

At  next  recreation,  the  Superior  sent 
us  word  to  meet  the  Bishop  in  the  medi- 
tation garden.  Sister  Mary  Magdalene 
being  too  exhausted  to  walk  as  fast  as  we 
did,  the  Bishop  asked  who  that  was,  and 
being  told,  he  burst  into  a  laugh,  and  snid, 
"  Sister  Magdalene,  when  are  you  goinp 


IN   A  CONVENT.  105 

to  heaven?"  She  replied,  in  a  voice 
scarcely  audible,  "I  have  no  will  of  my 
own,  my  Lord ;  whenever  it  shall  please 
God  to  take  me."*  She  thought  she 
should  not  live  to  see  Christmas.  We 
then  assembled  in  the  community,  and 
when  all  were  seated,  the  Bishop  inquired, 
"Where  is  that  sober-faced  Nun?"  Being 
told  by  the  Mother  Assistant  that  she  was 
giving  lessons  to  Miss  F.,  he  took  the 
letter  before  spoken  of,  and  looking  it 
over,  handed  it  to  the  Mother  Assistant, 
saying,  "  Why  do  you  keep  her,  and  why 
does  she  not  go  to  her  class?"  The  Su- 
perior said  the  young  ladies  were  not 
pleased  with  her  as  a^eacher.  He  asked  if 
all  disliked  her.  Miss  Mary  Benedict  re- 
plied, '•  No,  my  Lord ;  some  in  the  French 
class  appear  to  like  her;"  on  which  he 
said,  "Show  them  that  letter." 

At  my  next  lesson,  I  told  Mary  Francis 

•  It  is  here  to  be  understood,  that  Sister  Mary  Magdalene  was 
in  a  consumption,  and  had  entered  the  Convent  nine  months  be- 
fore in  perfect  health.  She  was  worn  out  with  austerities. 


106  SIX   MONTHS 

if  she  did  not  explain  to.  me  the  causj 
of  her  grief  I  should  certainly  tell  the 
Superior;  for  I  could  receive  no  benefit 
from  her  instructions  while  she  was  so  con- 
fused, and  the  Superior  had  reprimanded 
me  for  not  learning  my  lessons ;  and  I 
promised  if  she  would  tell  me  I  would 
not  inform  the  Superior.  She  replied  that 
she  could  not  answer  me  then,  but  would 
think  of  it,  and  give  me  an  answer  in  the 
afternoon.  Accordingly,  in  the  afternoon, 
a  Religieuse  being  present,  watching  us. 
she  communicated  what  I  desired  to 
know  by  writing  on  a  slate,*  and  desired 
to  know  if  I  was  happy.  I  answered 
that  I  did  not  like  the  Superior  so  well 
as  formerly.  She  then  wrote,  that  while 
at  prayer  and  meditation  she  concluded 
it  was  her  uiny,  particularly  as  I  was 
dissatisfied,  to  give  me  some  advice,  and 
considered  her  promise  before  made  as 
not  binding;  and  receiving  from  me  a 

•  We  were  at  the  piano  ;  sha  pretended  to  write  notes,  &c. 


INACONVENT.  107 

promise  oi  secrecy,  she  proceeded  to  say 
that  she  hoped  she  should  be  pardoned  if 
any  thing  wrong  was  said  by  her,  as  my 
whole  happiness  depended  on  the  words 
she  should  communicate.  "lam,"  says 
she,  "  kept  here  by  the  Superior,  through 
selfish  motives,  as  a  teacher,  under  a  slav- 
ish fear  and  against  my  will.  I  have 
written  several  letters  to  my  father,  and 
have  received  no  satisfactory  answer ;  and 
I  have  for  a  long  time  felt  dissatisfied 
with  my  situation.  The  Superior  has  fail- 
ed in  fulfilling  her  promise,  not  complying 
with  the  conditions  on  which  I  was  re- 
ceived ;  which  were,  that  as  she  was  in 
need  of  a  teacher,  particularly  in  French 
?nd  music,  1  might  take  the  white  veil, 
.411(1  leave  whenever  I  chose ;  and  my 
taking  the  veil,  "  as  it  was  only  a  custom," 
should  not  compel  me ;  and  that  my  obli- 
gations should  not  be  binding.  My  father 
thinks  I  can  leave  at  any  time,  for  I  do 
not  believe  he  has  received  my  letters, 
and  that  letter  you  have  heard  read  as 


108  SIX     MONTHS 

Miss  I.'s  is  a  forged  one."  We  were  here 
interrupted  by  the  entrance  of  the  Superior, 
who  made  a  sign  for  me  to  follow  her  into 
the  Bishop's  room.  After  asking  me  how  I 
progressed  in  my  lessons,  and  hearing  me 
read  in  the  "  Novices'  Directory,"*  she  ob- 
served that  I  looked  melancholy,  and  com- 
manded me  to  tell  her  the  reason.  I  re- 
plied that  I  did  not  feel  well,  that  my  lungs 
were  sore  since  taking  the  emetic, f  &c. 
She  said  that  was  only  a  notion,  and  bade 
me  tell  the  true  reason  without  any  more 
equivocation.  My  words  were,  I  did  not 
love  her  so  well  then  as  formerly.  She  ex- 
claimed, "  O,  my  child,  I  admire  you  for 

•  This  is  a  book  which  is  used  only  in  Convents.  It  directs  us  to 
respect  the  Bishop  as  a  representative  of  the  person  of  Christ,  and 
in  confession  as  Christ  himself ;  and  the  Superior  as  fulfilling  the 
office  of  Mother  of  God. 

t  My  lungs  were  also  very  sore  in  consequence  of  repeating  the 
offices ;  so  much  so,  that  when  present  at  recreation,  when  I  had 
permission  to  speak,  it  gave  me  pain  rather  than  pleasure.  I 
have,  since  leaving  the  Convent,  consulted  several  physicians,  who 
have  expressed  it  as  their  opinion,  that  the  cause  of  my  bleeding 
at  the  lungs,  which  frequently  occurs,  was  originally  the  repeating 
the  office  and  other  services,  in  one  long,  drawling  tune,  which 
any  one  can  know  by  trying  to  be  very  difficult 


INA    CONVENT.  109 

your  simplicity  ;;'  and  asked  me  my  rea- 
son for  not  loving  her.  which  I  declined 
giving.  She  commanded  "  obedience" 
with  seeming  mildness,  and  I  told  her  that 
I  thought  she  did  not  pay  that  attention 
to  me  she  had  promised,  and  that  she  was 
not  so  kind  as  formerly.  She  then  said  a 
Ileligieuse  should  have  no  will  of  her 
own  ;  that  their  Superior  put  many  things 
upon  them,  in  order  to  try  their  vocation. 
She  then  recounted  the  sufferings  of  a 
certain  Saint,  and  hid  me  pray  to  that 
Saint  for  protection ;  and  showed  me  a 
phial,  which  she  said  contained  some  of 
Saint  .Teresa's  tears ;  and  said  if  I  would 
save,  my  tears  while  in  devotion,  she 
could  tell  by  them  whether  1  should  ever 
arrive  to  the  perfection  of  a  Saint.  She 
then  gave  me  her  blessing,  and  reminded 
me  of  my  reception,  which  was  soon  to 
lake  place. 

At  my  lesson  in  the  afternoon  I  again 
conversed  with  Mary  Francis  concern- 
ing the  letter,  and  requested  her  to  inform 


110  SIX   MONTHS 

me  how  my  happiness  was  concerned. 
She  said  still  that  the  letter  read  to  the 
Community  was  a  forged  one ;  that  Mrs. 
1.  was  her  aunt  and  sincere  friend;  and 
did  her  father  know  her  sufferings,  and 
the  treatment  she  received  from  the  Su- 
perior, he  would  prosecute  her  ;  that  she 
feared  the  Superior  as  she  did  a  serpent. 
She  then  advised  me  not  to  bind  myself, 
after  my  three  months'  "  test  or  trial,"* 
to  that  order,  by  complying  with  the  rules 
of  "reception,"  any  farther  than  would 
leave  me  at  liberty  to  go  to  another  if  1 
chose;  and  I  must  not  think,  because 
they  were  wicked,  that  the  inmates  of  all 
Convents  were  so.  I  assured  her  thai 
although  I  had  thought  there  were  none 
good  but  Catholics.  I  now  believed  there 
were  good  and  bad  among  all  sects.  She 
then  requested  me  not  to  betray  her,  and 
told  me  the  Superior  intended  to  keep  me 

•  When  persons  first  enter  the  Convent,  they  take  an  obliga 
tion  that  they  will  spend  the  remainder  of  their  days  as  a  Re 
cluse,  but  they  are  put  on  a  three  months'  "  test"  or  trial,  to  see  if 
they  have  a  "  vocation"  for  that  particular  order ;  if  not,  they  are 
generally  placed  in  another. 


IN   A    CONVENT.  Ill 

there  for  life,  and  she  thought  it  her  duty 
to  warn  me  of  the  snares  laid  for  me.  She 
disliked  that  order,*  and  wished  me  to  in- 
form her  why,  and  in  what  manner  I  had 
come  there.  I  related  to  her  then,  and 
during  the  next  afternoon,  all  the  particu- 
lars. She  appeared  very  much  surprised 
to  learn  that  my  friends  had  been  opposed 
to  my  coming,  as  the  Superior  had  told 
her  that  they  had  put  me  there  for  life. 
She  said  she  had  been  taken  from  the  pub- 
lic apartment,  because  she  had  been  seen 
weeping  by  the  young  ladies  ;  that  should 
the  Superior  refuse  to  let  her  go,  she 
should  if  possible  make  her  escape ;  and 
named  a  Religieuse  (Miss  Mary  Angela) 
who  had  made  her  escape  before.  She 
desired  me,  if  she  should  be  so  fortunate 
as  to  make  her  escape,  to  ask,  in  private 
confession,  permission  to  see  my  friends, 

•  Miss  Mary  Francis  was  educated,  I  believe,  in  the  Convent  of 
Saint  Joseph,  Eminetsburg  ;  also  known  as  the  order  of  the  "  Sisters 
of  Charity."  She  possessed  an  amiable  disposition  and  superior 
talents,  and  was  universally  admired  by  the  inmates  of  the 
gcho«l ;  and  so  far  as  my  acquaintance  went,  she  was  deserving 
Ihe  esteem  of  every  »ne. 


112  SIX   MONTHS 

and  consult  them  about  going  to  the 
"Sisters  of  Charity;"  and  if  they  were 
willing  that  I  should  go,  she  would  pro- 
cure me  a  situation,  and  by  letter  inform 
me  of  it.  She  was  in  great  distress  on 
account  of  that  letter,  which  plainly  un- 
folded the  motives  of  the  Superior.  She 
said  she  should  appear  as  calm  as  possi- 
ble, as  it  was  the  only  way  to  blind  the 
eyes  of  the  Superior,  and  enable  her  to 
escape ;  and  requested  me  to  give  her  all 
the  information  respecting  the  Superior's 
intentions  that  I  could  learn,  and  to  listen 
to  her  and  the  Mother  Assistant's  con- 
versation at  recreation  hours. 

At  recreation  the  Superior  observed  that 
Miss  Mary  Francis  had  no  vocation  for  a 
religious  life,  as  she  had  refused  to  attend 
the  offices  and  prayers.  At  our  next  in- 
terview, I  inquired  of  Mary  Francis  if 
she  had  refused  to  attend  prayers;  she 
replied  no ;  that  the  Superior  had  discover- 
ed her  intention  to  escape,  and  had 
forbidden  her  attending  offices,  commu- 


IN   A    CONVENT.  113 

nion,  and  confession,  for  exposing  her 
feelings  before  the  Religieuse;  and  that  the 
Superior  had  imposed  penance  upon  her, 
forbidding  her  to  walk  in  the  garden  during 
recreation;  and  that  the  presents  given  her 
by  the  young  ladies  had  been,  with  the 
Superior's  permission,  taken  by  some  one 
from  her  desk.  She  remarked  that  we 
were  exhorted  to  love  and  pray  for  those 
who  spitefully  use  us,  but  she  could  not 
love  the  Community  generally,  they  exer- 
cised so  much  cruelty  towards  her ;  that 
the  treatment  she  received  was  for  no 
other  reason  than  because  she  had  given 
way  to  tears,  which  were  a  great  relief  to 
her ;  she  was  happy,  she  said,  to  find  one 
\v\\o  sympathized  with  her,  and  who 
would  not  treat  her  with  contempt,  as  the 
others  did.  She  said  also  that  the  Supe- 
rior had  done  wrong  respecting  her 
apparel. 

I  have  now  come  to  that  part  of  m> 
narrative  in  which  I  must  again  speak 
nf  th-   sufferings   of   Sister   Magdalene. 
5* 


114  SIX     MONTHS 

One  day  she  came  from  the  refectory, 
and  being  so  much  exhausted  as  to  be 
hardly  able  to  ascend  the  stairs,  I  offered 
to  assist  her,  and  the  Superior  reprimand- 
ed me  for  it,  saying  her  weakness  was 
feigned,  and  that  my  pity  was  false  pity. 
She  then  said  to  Sister  Magdalene,  (after 
we  were  seated,)  in  a  tone  of  displeasure, 
if  she  did  not  make  herself  of  use  to  the 
"  Community,"  she  would  send  her  back 
to  Ireland ;  on  which  Sister  Mary  Magda- 
lene rose  and  said,  "  Mamere,  I  would 
like — ."*  The  Superior  cut  short  what 
she  was  going  to  say  by  stamping  upon  the 
floor,  and  demanding  who  gave  her  per- 
mission to  speak,  imposed  on  her  the  pen- 
ance of  kissing  the  floor.  The  Superior  af- 
ter this  imposed  hardships  which  she  was 
hardly  able  to  sustain,  frequently  reminding 
her  that  she  had  but  a  short  time  to  work 
out  her  salvation,  and  that  she  must  do  bet- 
ter if  she  did  not  wish  to  surfer  in  purgatory. 

•  This,  and  other  like  half-uttered  expressions,  convinced  me 
hat  sha  wished  to  return  to  her  friends. 


IN   A   CONVENT.  115 

The  Superior  questioned  me  about  my 
feelings ;  wished  to  know  why  I  looked 
so  solemn.  I  told  her  I  was  ill  from  want 
of  exercise,  that  I  \vas  not  accustomed  to 
their  mode  of  living,  &c.  She  said  I 
must  mention  it  to  my  Confessor,  which 
I  did.  The  next  time  the  Bishop  visited 
us,  he  was  in  unusually  high  spirits,  and 
very  sociable ;  and  he  related  several  sto- 
ries, which  are  not  worthy  of  notice  in  this 
place.  He  again  asked  Sister  Magdalene 
when  she. thought  of  going  to  that  happy 
place,  to  receive  her  crown  of  glory.  She 
replied,  "  Before  the  celebration  of  our  di- 
vine Redeemer's  birth,  my  Lord."  He 
said  she  ought  to  be  very  thankful  that 
she  was  called  so  soon. 

I  will  here  relate  a  conversation  of  the 
Bishop  with  the  Superior  at  recreation 
hour,  respecting  the  Pope,  &c.  After 
talking  a  while  in  French,  he  said  he 
had  received  a  long  letter  from  the  Pope,  in 
which  his  Holiness  congratulated  him  for 
•his  success  in  establishing  the  true  religion. 


116  SIX   MONTHS 

in  the  United  States,  and  made  him  offers 
of  money  to  advance  the  interest  of  the 
Catholic  Church,  and  more  firmly  establish, 
it  in  America,  &c.  The  Bishop  then 
spoke  of  the  Orthodox  in  Boston,  and  said 
Dr.  B.  had  got  himself  in  a  u  hornets' 
nest,"  from  which  he  could  not  extricate 
himself.  The  Superior  named  a  sermon 
delivered  in  the  North  Church  by  an 
Episcopalian,  and  said  they  must  look 
out  or  they  would  get  themselves  into  a 
"  hornets  nest."  The  Bishop  mentioned 
fr  visit  of  Dr.  O'F.  at  Dr.  B.'s,  and  said 
Dr.  O'P.  had  scarcely  an  opportunity  to 
say  a  word,  on  account  of  the  noise  and 
crying  of  the  children  which  were  in  the 
room,  and  with  which  Dr.  B.  was  play- 
ing ;  said  he  appeared  more  engaged  with 
the  children  than  with  the  subjects  of  re- 
ligion, &c.  &c.  Bliss  Mary  John,  the 
Mother  Assistant,  exclaimed,  "  Is  it  possi- 
ble, my  Lord,  that  a  man  of  God  is  treated 
in  cuch  a  way  by  heretics  ?"  "  Yes,"  said 
the  Bishop,  "none  but  he  that  is  unmarried 


IN   A    CONVENT.  117 

care th  for  the  things  that  belong  to  the 
Lord,  how  he  may  please  the  Lord :  but 
he  that  is  married  careth  for  the  things 
that  are  of  the  world,  how  he  may 
please  his  wife."  The  Superior  said 
Dr.  B.  possessed  very  little  sense,  and 
had  a  weak  mind.  The  Bishop  said  that 
the  doctor  by  the  course  he  had  taken,  had 
made  many  converts  to  Catholicism; 
'•'  And  perhaps,"  said  the  Superior,  '•  he  is 
a  wicked  instrument  in  the  hands  of  God 
to  bring  about  good." 

At  another  time,  while  walking  on  the 
Convent  grounds,  a  cannon  ball  was 
picked  up  by  one  of  the  Religieuse,  and 
the  Bishop  taking  it,  observed,  as  he  gave 
it  to  the  Superior,  "  Here  is  a  British  ball 
that  has  killed  many  a  Yankee;"  and  he 
also  made  several  other  similar  observa- 
tions. At  another  time  the  Superior  told 
the  Bishop  that  two  ladies  met  near  the 
Convent;  the  words  she  used  were,  <:Orie 
Yankee  met  another,  and  said,  '  Iguessyou 
are  a  going  to  independence.'  '  I  guess 
I  be/  said  the  other.'  They  then  laughed 


118  SIX   MONTHS 

heartily  about  it,  and  gave  us  permission 
to  hold  our  recreation  upon  it.  The 
Bishop  remarked,  the  Yankees  celebrated 
independence  day  in  honor  of  men,  and 
appointed  days  of  thanksgiving,  instead 
of  celebrating  the  birthday  of  the  Re- 
deemer, in  honor  of  God,  &c.^ 

When  I  was  again  summoned  to  the 
Superior,  she  inquired  as  usual  into  the 
state  of  my  feelings;  and  when  I  said  I 
desired  to  see  my  friends,  she  replied, 
"  Why,  my  dear  Agnes,  do  you  wish  to  see 
worldly  friends  ?  Who  do  you  call  your 
friends  1  Am  not  I  your  friend  1  Is  not 
the  Bishop  your  friend  ?  If  your  worldly 
friends  wished  to  see  you,  would  they  not 

•  We  all  had  permission  at  one  time  to  walk  with  the  Superior 
in  the  meditation  garden.  The  Superior  heard  a  noise  behind  the 
fence,  and  sent  her  servants  to  learn  the  cause ;  they  returned,  in- 
forming her  that  two  men  were  looking  through  the  fence.  The 
Superior  remarked,  the  Bish'ip  had  said  there  was  great  danger  to 
be  apprehended  from  such  persons ;  that  if  Protestants  were  to 
offer  any  violence  to  them,  the  judgments  of  heaven  would  fall 
upon  the  wicked ;  and  God  had  founded  tham  upon  a  rock  so 
fiim  that  it  could  not  fall.  The  Supe^or  gars  orders  to  the  porters 
not  to  allow  grangers  to  wa'k  O7*f  U«J  groands  without  her  or 
the  Bishop's  permissit  n. 


IN   A   CONVENT.  119 

come  and  see  you  ?"  I  replied,  "  Yes. "  A 
few  days  after  this,  I  was  taken  very  ill, 
and  went  to  the  infirmary.  Miss  Mary 
Francis,  hearing  of  my  illness,  made  an 
errand  to  come  to  the  infirmary  for  some 
thread  to  mend  her  apparel,  and  pretend- 
ing not  to  find  it,  asked  me  where  the  Re- 
ligieuse  put  it ;  and  desired  to  know  if  I 
had  any  good  news  for  her.  I  told  her  I 
had  not,  but  as  we  had  permission  to  as- 
semble for  recreation  in  the  afternoon,  I 
would,  if  I  heard  any,  then  inform  her. 
At  that  instant  a  Novice  opened  the  door, 
and  Miss  Mary  Francis  excused  heiself, 
by  pretending  that  she  was  looking  for  the 
basket  of  thread.  We  were  not  so  strictly 
watched  for  a  few  days  as  we  had  been, 
but  when  Miss  Mary  Francis  exposed  her 
feelings  one  day  before  Miss  Mary  Mag- 
dalene and  myself,  we  were  again  closely 
watched.  1  then  asked  the  Superior's 
permission  to  write  to  my  friends,  and 
desire  them  to  come  and  see  me,  which 
she  granted ;  and  also  told  me  to  write 


SIX   MONTHS 

whatever  I  pleased.  I  prepared  a  letter 
accordingly  to  my  sisters,  stating  that  I 
did  not  wish  to  return  to  the  world,  but 
was  anxious  for  a  visit  from  them,  &c. 

I  began  How  to  be  much  dissatisfied 
with  this  Convent.  My  views  of  retire- 
ment, however,  were  the  same  as  ever, 
and  I  thought  I  would  go  to  the  order  of 
the  Sisters  of  Charity,  where  Miss  Mary 
Francis  was  educated,  as  she  had  promised 
to  introduce  me  there.  She  told  me,  that 
should  I  be  called  to  the  public  apartments, 
(as  an  assistant  in  ornamental  work,)  if 
possible,  to  slip  a  billet  into  Miss  I.'s  hand, 
(a  scholar  from  New  York,)  who  would 
convey  it  to  her  ;  and  I  must  not  open  my 
mind  to  my  confessor  until  I  was  sure 
she  had  left  the  Community.  I  asked  her 
if  she  would  take  a  letter  for  me  into  the 
world ;  she  replied,  she  dare  not,  as  the 
Superior  would  examine  her,  and  not  per- 
mit any  thing  to  be  carried  from  the 
Convent  into  the  world.  We  then  laid 
the  following  plan,  to  mislead  the  Superi- 


IN   A    CONVENT.  121 

or  in  regard  to  our  intentions.  Miss  Mary 
Francis  was  to  complain  to  the  Superior 
that  I  would  not  give  proper  attention 
when  at  my  lessons,  and  I  was  to  tell  her 
that  I  could  not  receive  any  benefit  from 
Miss  Mary  Francis,  on  account  of  her 
grief  and  absence  of  mind.  This  we 
fulfilled  to  the  letter.  We  also  agreed  on 
a  signal,  by  which  I  should  know  whether 
she  was  going  with  or  without  permission. 
If  she  went  without  permission,  she  was 
to  tie  a  string  around  an  old  book,  as  if  to 
keep  the  leaves  together,  and  lay  it  upon 
the  writing  desk  ;  if  with  permission,  she 
was  to  make  the  sign  of  the  cross  three 
times  upon  her  lips.  I  had  intimated  my 
desire  to  go  with  her.  but  she  said  it  would 
be  more  prudent  for  me  to  endeavor  to 
obtain  the  Superior's  permission  to  see 
some  of  my  friends,  and  I  could  then 
consult  with  them,  and  arrange  matters 
to  suit  me.  After  our  conversation,  she 
knelt  at  the  altar  of  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
and  begged  God  to  forgive  us  if  we  acted 
"  6 


122  SIX   MONTHS 

wrong  in  this  matter;  and  said  to  me, 
"  May  we  not  hope  for  pardon  in  this  mat- 
ter, if  the  Superior  can  be  so  wicked  as  to 
approach  the  holy  of  holies,  and  yet  re- 
ceive absolution?"  She  then  selected  from 
a  book  the  letters  forming  her  real  name 
that  I  might  write  to  her,  should  I  not  get 
an  opportunity  to  give  a  letter  to  Miss  I. 
A  Religieuse  entered  and  whispered  her  to 
come  away,  and  I  never  saw  her  after- 
wards. 

When  the  Bishop  next  visited  the 
"Community,"  he  said  he  understood  that 
they  were  rid  of  that  person  who  had 
caused  them  so  much  trouble.  They  all 
then  rejoiced,  because  Miss  Mary  Francis 
had  gone.  The  Bishop  asked  whither 
they  had  sent  her.  They  answered,  "  To 
her  friends."  Nothing  more  at  that  time 
was  said  about  it. 

Not  long  after  this,  at  private  confession, 
I  was  questioned  very  particularly  in  re- 
gard to  my  views  of  remaining  there  fir 
life.  I  told  my  confessor  that  I  was  con- 


IN   A    CONVENT.  123 

vincod  that  order  was  too  austere  for  me, 
and  immediately  burst  into  tears.  He 
endeavored  to  comfort  me  by  saying  I 
was  not  bound  to  that  order  for  life  ;  I 
could  go  to  another  order.  I  asked  him 
if  I  might  see  my  friends.  He  answered, 
"  Yes."  After  receiving  a  promise  from 
him  that  I  should  go  to  any  other  order  I 
chose,  I  consented  to  take  the  vows.  He 
gave  me  to  understand,  that  I  need  take  no 
other  vows  there  than  I  should  at  the  Con- 
vent of  the  Sisters  of  Charity.  My  recep- 
tion took  place  the  next  day.  I  refused  the 
white  veil,  because  the  Sisters  of  Charity 
did  not  wear  it,  and  it  was  omitted.  The 
choir  was  first  darkened,  and  then  lighted 
with  wax  tapers.  The  ceremony  com- 
menced with  chants,  prayers,  responses, 
&c.  A  book  was  placed  in  my  hands, 
which  contained  the  vows  I  was  to  take. 
A.S  near  as  I  can  recollect,  the  following 
.is  the  substance  of  them  : — 

"  O,  almighty  and  everlasting  God,  per- 


JL24  SIX    MONTHS 

mit  me,  a  worm  of  the  dust,  to  consecrate 
myself  more  strictly  to  thee  this  day,  in 
presence  of  thy  most  Holy  Mother,  and 
Saint  Ursula,  and  all  of  thy  Saints  and 
Martyrs,  by  living  two  years  a  Recluse, 
and  by  instructing  young  ladies  after  the 
manner  of  Saint  Ursula,  and  by  taking 
upon  myself  her  most  holy  vows  of  pov- 
erty, chastity,  and  obedience,  which,  with 
thy  grace  and  assistance,  I  will  fulfil." 

They  all  responded,  '•  Amen,"  and  re- 
peated a  long  office  in  Latin.  I  still  con- 
tinued to  wear  the  black  garb,*  which  the 
Bishop  blessed;  also  a  long  habit,  and  a 
string  of  rosary  beads,  which  were  also 
blessed  by  the  Bishop.  He  wished  to  know, 
one  day,  how  Miss  Mary  Agnes  did,  after 
taking  the  white  vows ;  to  which  the  Supe- 
rior replied,  "  Very  well."  He  then  con- 
versed about  the  establishment  in  Boston, 
and  said  that  some  Sisters  of  Charity  were 
coming  to  constitute  a  Convent  either 

•  The  apparel  of  a  Relijjioiise  is  always  kissad  by  tha  wearer, 
every  time  of  putting  on  ami  into:]?  off. 


IN   A    CONVENT.  125 

there  or  at  Mount  Benedict  lower  esta- 
blishment.* 

Meanwhile  Sister  Mary  Magdalene 
was  employed  in  the  refectory.  Accord- 
ing to  the  Bishop  she  was  a  Saint,  and  he 
said  there  was  a  Saint's  body  in  the  tomb, 
one  of  the  late  Sisters',  which  remained 
undccayed.  I  heard  the  Superior,  about 
this  time,  tell  Miss  Mary  Magdalene  to 
burn  all  her  treasures,!  or  she  would  suf- 
fer in  purgatory  for  her  self-love ;  and  she 
was  afraid  she  did  not  suffer  patiently, 
for  she  appeared  romantic.  Mary  Mag- 
dalene fell  prostrate  at  the  Superior's  feet, 
and  said  she  would  fulfil  any  command 
that  should  be  laid  upon  her.  The  Supe- 
rior gave  her  a  penance  to  kiss  the  feet  of 
all  the  Religieuse,  and  asked  them  to  say 
an  Ave  and  a  Pater  for  her  ;  after  which 

•  The  Bishop  in  confession  told  ma  1  could,  if  I  preferred  it,  be- 
tome  one  of  these  Sisters. 

t  The  treasures  consisted  of  written  prayers,  books,  papers,  a 
'ockof  her  mother's  hair,  &c.,  which  she  brought  from  Ireland, 
tftd  kept  in  her  desk. 


126  SIX   MONTHS 

she  lay  prostrate  in  the  refectory  until 
the  Angelus  rung.  One  communion 
morning,  as  I  rose  and  was  dressing,  I 
took  some  water,  as  usual,  to  rinse  my 
mouth,  and  all  at  once  Mary  Magdalene 
appeared  greatly  agitated,  and  even  in 
agony  ;  made  signs  and  crosses  to  signify 
that  I  should  commit  a  sacrilege  were  1 
then  to  approach  the  communion  ;  and  I 
then  recollected  that  nothing  must  be 
taken  into  the  mouth  on  the  morning  be- 
fore this  sacrament.  I  relate  this  to  show 
the  state  of  her  mind.  The  Superior  one 
day  requested  the  Mother  Assistant  to  get 
the  keys  of  the  tomb,  and  to  have  a  good 
place  prepared  for  Mary  Magdalene,  who 
forced  a  smile,  saying  she  should  prefer 
hers  near  the  undecayed  Saint's  bed. 

As  time  passed  on,  the  Superior  became 
more  severe  in  her  treatment,  because  1 
objected  to  pursue  my  music.  My  mind 
had  been  in  such  an  unhappy  state,  that 
I,  for  a  long  time,  found  it  impossible  to 
study ;  and,  further,  I  did  not  wish  to  re- 


IN    A    CONVENT.  127 

ceive  instruction,  for  I  had  determined  not 
to  stay  there.  I  therefore  succeeded  in 
obtaining  the  Superior's  permission  to  oc- 
cupy my  time  chiefly  with  the  needle, 
and  assured  her  that  I  would  again  study 
when  I  felt  better. 

On  one  of  the  holy  days  the  Bishop 
came  in,  and  after  playing  upon  his  flute, 
addressed  the  Superior,  styling  her  Made- 
moiselle, and  wished  to  know  if  Mary 
Magdalene  wanted  to  go  to  her  long  home. 
The  Superior  beckoned  to  her  to  come  to 
them,  arid  she  approached  on  her  knees. 
The  Bishop  asked  her  if  she  felt  prepared 
to  die.  She  replied,  "Yes,  my  Lord ;  but, 
with  the  permission  of  our  Mother,  I  have 
one  request  to  make. ' '  They  told  her  to  say 
on.  She  said  she  wished  to  be  anointed 
before  death,  if  his  Lordship  thought  her 
worthy  of  so  great  a  favor.  He  sal^, 
"  Before  I  grant  your  request,  I  have  one 
to  make;  that  is,  that  you  will  implore 
the  Almighty  to  send  down  from  heaven 
a  bushel  of  gold,  for  the  purpose  of 


128  SIX     MONTHS 

establishing  a  college  for  young  men  on 
Bunker  Hill.  He  said  he  had  bought  the 
land  for  that  use,  and  that  all  the  Sisters 
who  had  died  had  promised  to  present 
his  request,  but  had  not  fulfilled  their  obli- 
gations ;  "and,"  says  he,  "you  must  shake 
hands  in  heaven  with,  all  the  Sisters  who 
have  gone,  and  be  sure  and  ask  them  why 
they  have  not  fulfilled  their  promise,  for 
I  have  waited  long  enough  ;  and  continue 
to  chant  your  office  with  us,  while  here 
on  earth,  which  is  the  sweet  communion 
of  Saints."  After  she  had  given  her  pledge 
and  kissed  his  feet,  he  told  the  several 
members  of  the  Community,  to  think  of 
what  they  should  like  best.  I  was  first 
called  to  make  my  request.  I  had  never 
seen  any  thing  of  this  kind  before,  and 
my  feelings  were  such  as  I  cannot  de- 
scribe, and  continuing  silent,  the  Superior 
bade  me  name  it.  I  then  said,  I  lacked 
humility,  and  should  wish  for  that  virtue. 
The  Religieuse  then  made  their  requests  : 
one  asked  for  grace  to  fulfil  the  vow  of 


IN    A    CONVENT.  129 

poverty  ;  another,  for  obedience ;  a  third, 
more  fervent  love  for  the  Mother  of  God ; 
a  fourth,  more  devotion  to  her  patron 
Saint ;  a  fifth,  more  devotion  in  approach- 
ing the  altar  and  host ;  and  so  on.  The 
Superior  ended  it,  by  making  the  same  re- 
quest as  the  Bishop,  adding,  the  purpose 
intended  was,  that  the  gospel  of  our  Lord 
and  Savior  might  be  more  extensively 
propagated,  and  that  all  dissenters  might 
be  made  to  turn  to  the  true  Church  and 
believe.  The  conversation  then  turned 
upon  the  Pope,  and  the  Bishop  said  the 
Pope  would,  perhaps,  before  long,  visit 
this  country  ;  and  when  things  were  more 
improved,  and  his  new  church  finished, 
he  should  write  to  the  Pope,  &c.  He 
went  into  a  relation  of  some  parts  of 
ecclesiastical  history  ;  spoke  of  the  Pope's 
being  the  vicegerent  of  Christ  on  earth ; 
and  that  although  the  wicked  one  pre- 
vailed now,  it  was  designed  for  good,  and 
the  time  would  come,  when  all  would 
look  to  the  Pope  as  their  spiritual  dfrector 


130  SIX    MONTHS 

on  earth.  He  thought  that  America  right- 
fully belonged  to  the  Pope,  and  that  his 
Holiness  would  take  up  his  residence  here 
at  some  future  day. 

Not  long  after  this,  Mary  Magdalene 
was  anointed  for  death,  and  tcok  her 
vows  for  life,  but  she  continued  to  wear 
the  white  veil.  I  thought  it  singular  that 
Mary  Magdalene  should  at  that  time  take 
her  black  vows,  (as  they  called  them,)  be- 
cause (as  I  learned  in  the  Community) 
she  had  not  been  there  a  year ;  and  her 
wearing  the  white  veil  after  taking  them 
appeared  still  more  singular. 

I  will  endeavor  to  give  some  idea  of  the 
manner  in  which  she  took  her  vows,  and 
of  the  anointing.  After  she  had  retired 
to  her  couch,*  the  Religieuse  walked 
to  the  room  in  procession.  Sister  St 
Clair  held  a  wax  taper  blazing  at  her  feet, 
and  the  Superior  knelt  at  her  head  with 

•  I  learned  that  the  usual  custom  was  to  place  them  in  a  black 
coffin  covered  with  a  black  pall  when  they  were  to  take  the  black 
votes  ;  but  in  this  instance  it  was  omitted. 


IN    A   CONVENT.  131 

the  vows,  which  were  copied  on  a  half- 
sheet  of  paper.  The  Bishop  then  came 
in  with  both  sacraments,  all  of  us  pros- 
trating as  he  passed.  After  putting  the 
tabernacle  upon  the  little  altar  which  had 
been  placed  there  for  that  purpose,  he 
read  from  a  book  a  great  many  prayers, 
all  of  us  responding.  He  asked  her  a 
number  of  questions  about  renouncing  the 
world,  which  she  answered.  The  Supe- 
rior gave  her  the  vows,  and  after  pro- 
nouncing them,  she  was  anointed  ;  Sister 
Glair  laying  bare  her  neck  and  feet,  which 
the  Bishop  crossed  with  holy  oil,  at  the 
same  time  repeating  Latin.  He  then 
gave  her  the  viaticum,  and  ended  the 
ceremony  as  he  commenced,  with  saying 
Mass,  and  passed  out,  we  all  prostrating. 
She  lived  rather  longer  than  was  expect- 
ed, but  her  penances  were  not  remitted. 
She  would  frequently  kneel  and  prostrate 
all  night  long  in  the  cold  infirmary,  say- 
ing her  rosary  and  other  penances,  one  or 
two  of  which  I  will  mention.  She  wore 


132  SIX    MONTHS 

next  her  heart  a  metallic  plate,  in  imita- 
tation  of  a  crown  of  thorns,  from  which  I 
was  given  to  understand  she  suffered  a 
sort  of  martyrdom.  This  I  often  saw  her 
kiss  and  lay  on  the  altar  of  the  crucifix 
as  she  retired.  Another  penance  was, 
the  reclining  upon  a  mattress  more  like  a 
table  than  a  bed.  A  day  or  two  after  this, 
the  Superior,  Mother  Assistant,  and  Mary 
Benedict,  ridiculed  the  appearance  of 
Mary  Magdalene,  because  of  the  dropsy, 
which  prevented  her  appearing  graceful, 
and  because  she  was  disappointed  in  not. 
gfting  to  heaven  sooner.  The  Superior 
gave  her  some  linen  capes  to  make,  and 
said,  "  Do  you  think  you  shall  stay  with 
us  long  enough  to  do  these,  Sister?"  She 
took  them,  and  said,  "  Yes,  Mamere,  J 
thank  you."*  Notwithstanding  the  Su- 
perior's severity,  she  sometimes  appeared 
affectionate.  One  day  I  failed  in  ringing 
the  observances  at  the  usual  time.  I  met 

•  She  would  often  ask  permission  to  take  a  little  water,  as  she 
was  very  thirsty  ;  ihe  Superior  always  refused  it ;  but  still  the 
obedient  Magdalene  replied,  "Mamere,  I  thank  you," 


INT     A     CONVENT.  133 

the  Superior,  and  fearing  she  would  pu- 
nish me,  I  burst  into  tears.  She  embraced 
me  very  affectionately,  and  wiped  my 
face  with  a  handkerchief,  and  said  I 
should  not  be  punished  that  time.  She 
once  told  me  I  might  sit  at  meditation 
hour,  instead  of  kneeling,  as  it  was  very 
tiresome.  She  frequently  called  me  her 
holy  innocent,  because  she  said  I  kept  the 
rules  of  the  order,  and  was  persevering  in 
my  vocation  as  a  Recluse.  She  said  I 
should  see  my  friend  Mrs.  G.  before  long, 
but  I  did  not  see  her  while  I  was  there. 

While  in  the  Convent  I  asked  once  or 
twice  for  a  Bible,  but  never  received  any, 
and  never  saw  one  while  there.  The 
Bishop  often  said  that  the  laity  were  not 
qualitied  to  expound  the  Scriptures,  and 
that  the  successors  of  the  apostles  alone 
were  authorized  to  interpret  them,  &c. 

The  Bishop,  in  one  of  his  visits,  spoke 
particularly  of  the  cholera.  He  told  us 
we  must  watch  and  pray  more  fervently. 


134  SIX   MONTHS 

or  "  the  old  Scratch  would  snatch  us  off 
with  the  cholera."  It  was  recreation 
hour,  but  Mary  Magdalene  was  at  work 
in  the  refectory.  When  she  came  to  the 
community,  she  appeared  like  a  person  in 
spasms;  she  tried  to  say  "  Ave  Maria," 
and  immediately  fainted :  we  were  all  very 
much  alarmed.  At  that  moment  the  bell 
called  us  to  the  choir  for  visitation  and 
vespers.  When  I  retired,  I  felt  much 
hurt  to  see  Mary  Magdalene  in  the  cold 
infirmary,  but  did  not  dare  to  express  my 
feelings.  Next  day,  at  recreation,  the 
Superior,  Mother  Assistant,  and  Mrs. 
Mary  Benedict,  made  a  short  visit  to 
Mary  Magdalene,  and  on  returning  they 
told  us  she  was  better,  and  in  a  spiritual 
sense  well ;  for  she  had  refused  taking  her 
portion,  or  any  thing  eatable,  as  she  did 
not  wish  to  nourish  her  body,  because  the 
will  of  God  had  been  made  known  to  her 
in  a  vision.  We  all  had  the  promise  of 
conversing  with  her,  but  we  were  so  con- 


IN   A    CONVENT.  136 

stantly  employed  in  our  various  offices 
that  we  had  no  leisure. 

The  next  day,  it  being  my  turn  to  see 
that  all  the  vessels  which  contained  holy 
water  were  filled,  &c.,  I  had  an  opportu- 
nity of  looking  at  Mary  Magdalene.  Her 
eyes  were  partly  open,  and  her  face  very 
purple ;  she  lay  pretty  still.  I  did  not 
dare  to  speak  to  her,  supposing  she  would 
think  it  a  duty  to  tell  of  it,  as  it  would 
be  an  infraction  of  the  rules.  The  next 
night  I  lay  thinking  of  her,  when  I  was 
suddenly  startled,  hearing  a  rattling  noise, 
as  I  thought,  in  her  throat.  Very  soon 
Sister  Martha  (the  sick  Lay  Nun)  arose, 
and  coming  to  her,  said,  "  Jesus  !  Mary  ! 
Joseph  !  receive  her  soul ;"  and  rang  the 
bell  three*1  times.  The  spirit  of  the  gen- 
tle Magdalene  had  departed.  The  Supe- 
rior came,  bringing  a  lighted  wax-taper, 
which  she  placed  in  the  hand  of  the  de- 
ceased. She  closed  the  eyes,  and  placed 

*  TU«  bell  was  struck  three  times  to  call  the  Superior,  twice  to 
call  the  Mother  Assistant,  and  once  to  call  JMrs.  Mary  Benedi«t. 


136  SIX   MONTHS 

a  crucifix  on  the  breast.  Sister  Martha 
had  whispered  us  to  rise,  and  the  Supe- 
rior, observing  my  agitation,  said,  "  Be 
calm,  and  join  with  us  in  prayer ;  she  is  a 
happy  soul."  I  knelt  accordingly,  re- 
peating the  litany,  until  the  clock  struck 
two,  when  we  all  assembled  in  the  choir, 
in  which  was  a  fire  and  wax-tapers 
burning.  After  meditation,  matins,  lauds, 
and  prayers,  and  a  Novena  (a  particular 
supplication)  that  our  requests  might  be 
granted,  we  assembled  for  diet,  and  for  the 
first  time  we  had  some  toasted  bread.  We 
also  had  recreation  granted  in  the  time  of 
silence.  The  Superior  sent  for  us,  and 
instructed  us  how  to  appear  at  the  burial 
of  our  Sister  Mary  Magdalene,  and  ac- 
companied us  to  view  her  corpse.  She 
was  laid  out  in  the  habit  of  a  professed 
Nun,  in  a  black  veil:  her  hands  were  .tied 
together,  and  her  vows  placed  in  them. 
The  Superior  remarked,  that  this  was 
done  by  the  Bishop's  request.  At  the 
evening  recreation  the  Bishop  appeared  in 


IN   A     CONVENT.  137 

high  spirits,  and  rejoiced  that  so  happy  a 
soul  had  at  last  arrived  in  heaven ;  and 
commenced  the  "  Dies  illcc"  on  the  pi- 
ano forte,  accompanied  by  the  voices  of 
the  others.  He  told  me  I  should  have 
Miss  Mary  Magdalene  for  my  intercessor, 
for  she  was  to  he  canonized.  The  Mother 
Superior  permitted  me  to  embrace  the 
•Sisters,  and  gave  me  the  Mother  Assistant 
for  my  Mother.  She  then  presented  us 
with  the  relics  of  Saints,  that  by  their 
paeans  we  might  gain  indulgences.  She 
mentioned  a  '''retreat"  as  being  necessary 
for  our  perseverance  in  a  religious  life. 

The  second  day  after  this,  the  coffin  was 
placed  in  the  choir,  and  the  funeral  servi- 
ces were  performed  in  the  following  man- 
ner :  Dr.  Or  Flaherty  sang  the  office,  while 
ilio  Bishop  chanted  it.  Father  Taylor 
officiated  at  the  altar.  Four  or  five  of 
the  altar  boys  were  present,  and  dressed 
in  altar  robes,  etc. ;  two  of  them  held  wax 
tapers,  a  third  holy  water,  a  fourth  a 
crucifix.  One  su'inig  incense  in  the  ccn- 
fi* 


138  SIX   MONTHS 

ser  over  the  corpse,  and  another,  at  the 
same  time,  sprinkled  holy  water  upon  it. 
We  performed  our  part  by  saying  the 
"Dies  illae."  The  coffin*  was  then  carried 
to  the  tomb  by  two  Irishmen.  The 
Bishop,  Priests,  and  others  followed,  sing- 
ing, and  carrying  lighted  tapers  and  a 
large  crucifix.  The  corpse  was  also  fol- 
lowed by  some  of  the  young  ladies  from 
the  public  schools,  while  the  Religieuse 
remained  in  the  Convent.  After  deposit- 
ing the  coffin  in  the  tomb,  the  clergy  re- 
tired to  dinner.  We  were  permitted,  at 
recreation,  to  hear  the  clergy  converse  on 
various  subjects.  The  Superior  told  us 
that  the  customary  libera  and  prayers  for 
faithful  souls  departed  might  be  omitted, 
as  the  Bishop  said  Magdalene's  soul  had 
gone  immediately  to  heaven.  The  No- 
vices were  permitted  to  relate  visions  of 
guardian  angels.  &c.  At  the  next  evening 

•  My  feelings  were  much  hurt  to  witness  the  manner  in  which 
the  lid  of  the  coffin  was  forced  down  to  its  place.  The  corpse 
had  swollen  mneh.  and  become  too  large  for  the  coffin. 


IN    A    CONVENT.  139 

recreation  the  Bishop  again  visited  us, 
and  appeared  in  very  good  spirits,  played 
on  his  flute  and  sung.  He  soon  went 
away,  and  the  Superior  said  he  only  came 
to  cheer  up  our  spirits. 

Having  only  a  few  minutes  to  stay  at 
confession,  I  had  until  this  time  kept  the 
secret  of  my  friend  Mary  Francis ;  but 
the  Bishop  perceiving  that  I  grew  more 
discontented,  endeavored  to  comfort  me, 
by  saying  that  I  was  not  bound  to  that 
order  ;  but  he  wished  to  know  more  par- 
ticularly my  reasons  for  disliking  it,  and 
began  to  threaten  me  with  judgments ; 
and  observing  my  agitation,  said  he 
must  know  what  lay  so  heavily  on  my 
mind.  lie  asked  me  if  it  was  any  thing 
connected  with  the  sickness  and  death  of 
Mary  Magdalene.  I  told  him,  ':  No,  not 
that  in  particular ;  I  do  not  like  the  Su- 
perior." He  said  I  must  tell  him  instant- 
ly all  the  wicked  thoughts  that  had  dis- 
turbed my  mind,  and  asked  me  varim:s 
•improper  questions,  the  meaning  of  vrhid' 


140  SIX      MONTHS 

I  did  not  then  understand,  and  which  I 
decline  mentioning.  I  was  so  confused 
that  I  inadvertently  spoke  Mary  Francis' 
name,  and  begged  his  pardon  for  listening 
to  her  :  and  lie  immediately  exclaimed, 
"Ah!  I  know  all;  confess  tome  what 
she  told  you,  and  do  not  dare  to  deceive 
me ;  you  cannot  deceive  God."  I  told  hirr» 
nearly  all  that  had  passed  between  Mary 
Francis  and  myself.  He  said  that  Mary 
Francis  was  not  a  fit  subject  for  any  or- 
der, and  they  were  obliged  to  send  her 
away ;  that  she  was  deranged,  and  I  had 
done  very  wrong  in  listening  to  an  insane 
person.  He  said  I  could  not  go  to  the 
order  she  mentioned,  and  that  I  would  be 
more  happy  with  the  Sisters  of  Charity 
who  were  coming  to  reside  here.  He 
said  that  worldlings  hated  me  for  the  good 
part  I  had  chosen,  and  would  ridicule  me 
should  I  go  back  to  the  world,  and  then 
repeated  some  scripture  texts.  I  still  per- 
sisted in  saying  it  was  my  determination 
not  to  remain  in  that  order,  and  I  told  h'tn 


IN    A    CONVENT.  141 

I  disliked  the  Superior  ;  and  he  gave  me 
a  penance  to  perform.  I  was  desirous  at 
that  time  to  have  them  think  me  obedi- 
ent, or  I  should  not  have  condescended  to 
such  humiliations.  My  motive  was  pru- 
dence, not  want  of  courage,  for  by  this 
time  I  had  become  disgusted  with  the 
life  I  led,  and  their  manner  of  pro- 
ceeding. 

The  next  time  the  Bishop  was  with  us, 
lie  requested  me  to  sing  any  favorite  tune 
I  chose.  I  sang  the  "Ode  on  Science," 
which,  every  one  knows,  is  highly  patri- 
otic. At  the  close  of  the  first  stanza,  he 
spoke  a  few  words  in  French  to  the  Su- 
perior, who  made  a  signal  for  me  to  stop ; 
but  not  understanding  her,  I  continued, 
until  she  had  made  several  signals,  when 
I  pcrcehied  she  was  evidently  displeased 
with  my  singing,  and  then  recalled  the 
words  which  I  supposed  were  offensive. 

One  day  the  Superior  asked  me  what  it 
was  that  lay  so  heavily  on  my  mind,  as 
the  Mother  Assistant  had  previously 


142  SIX    MONTHS 

found  me  in  tears  while  at  our  examina- 
tion of  conscience.  I  excused  myself  by 
replying  I  was  thinking  of  my  dear 
mother,  (which,  though  true,  was  not  the 
cause  of  my  grief.)  She  then  left  me, 
but  not  without  distrust,  the  eyes  of  the 
Community  being  upon  me.  The  next 
time  we  met  at  recreation,  one  of  them 
remarked  she  hoped  there  was  not 
another  Judas  among  them.  I  endea- 
vored to  betray  no  emotion,  but  they  still 
mistrusted  I  had  other  views ;  for  while 
sitting  at  my  diet  in  the  refectory,  I  ob- 
served my  food  was  of  a  kind  that  I  had 
never  seen  before.  It  consisted  of  several 
balls  of  a  darkish  color,  about  the  size  of 
a  nutmeg,  of  a  bitter  astringent  taste  ; 
what  they  were  I  never  knew.  I  ate 
them  as  I  did  my  other  diet,  ancLstrove  to 
exhibit  no  fearful  sensations. 

A  few  days  after  the  death  of  Mary 
Magdalene,  her  desk  was  brought  for- 
ward, that  the  Superior  might  examine  it, 
and  distribute  its  contents  to  those  she 


IN  A   CONVENT.  143 

considered  the  most  worthy.  She  gave 
to  each  one  some  little  relic,  and  to  Miss 
Mary  Joseph,  sister  to  Magdalene,  some 
letters  which  she  had  composed  to  be 
read,  as  the  Superior  said,  after  her 
death.  They  were  quite  affecting,  and 
caused  Mary  Joseph  to  weep  much,  fbr 
which  the  Superior  reprimanded  her. 

Some  days  after  this,  the  Superior  sent 
for  me  to  practise  music,  and  then  made 
a  signal  for  me  to  follow  her  into  the 
Bishop's  room.  This  room  is  separated 
from  the  others  by  shutters,  with  curtains 
drawing  on  the  chapel  side.  When  I  had 
kissed  her  feet,  she  desired  to  know  why 
1  cried  at  my  practice  in  the  choir.  I 
rather  imprudently  answered,  "  I  could 
not  tell;  1  did  not  cry  much."  (It  then 
struck  me.  she  could  not  have  seen  me, 
as  I  was  alone.}  I  said  I  was  very  cold,* 
particularly  my  feet ;  and  I  had  been  prac- 
tising "  Blue-eyed  Mary,"  and  was  af- 


•  The  rooms  were  seldom  comfortably  wanned,  and  at  times  I 
suffered  much  from  the  co!3. 


144  .SIX    MONTHS 

fected  by  the  words.  She  said  that  what 
I  asserted  was  false,  and  commanded 
me  to  tell  her  the  true  cause,  in  a  mo- 
ment ;  and  pulling  the  handkerchief  from 
my  hand,  she  bade  me  kneel  and  tell  her 
at  once,  or  I  should  be  punished.  I  was 
so  frightened  by  the  threats  and  manner 
of  the  Superior,  that  I  sobbed  aloud,  and 
blood  gushed  from  my  nose  and  mouth. 
She  then  seized  and  shook  me  by  the 
arm,  and  seated  me,  saying,  "  Hush!  be 
calm,  or  the  young  ladies  may  hear  you 
as  they  pass  the  door  to  go  to  their  prac- 
tice." She  asked  me  again  and  again  to 
tell  her  why  I  shed  tears  in  the  choir,  and 
why  I  felt  such  a  repugnance  to  commu- 
nicate my  thoughts.  I  replied,  because  I 
had  made  apnomise  not  to  tell,  and  I  could 
not  break  it.  The  Superior  turned  pale, 
but  suppressing  her  feelings,  bade  me  break 
that  promise  directly,  and  asked  to  whom 
I  had  made  it.  I  replied  I  could  not  tell 
any  one  but  my  confessor.  Says  she,  em- 
bracing me,  "  What !  my  dear  Sister,- not 


IN    A     CONVENT.  145 

obey  your  Superior !  tell  me,  my  dear, 
and  I  will  stand  responsible  for  you  be- 
fore the  judgment  seat.  To  whom  did 
you  make  the  promise'? — to  Mary  Mag- 
dalene or  Mary  Francis  ?"  She  also  asked 
me  if  I  had  related  all  the  causes  of 
my  discontent  in  confession.  I  replied, 
"Not  all,"  and  began  to  weep  again.  She 
endeavored  to  console  me,  saying  she 
could  not  heal  my  wounds  unless  I 
opened  my  whole  feelings  to  her;  and 
•comparing  her  words  to  those  of  our  di- 
vine  Redeemer,  took  me  by  the  hand,  and 
with  seeming  affection  told  me  to  unfold 
all  my  feelings  to  her,  as  to  an  own 
mother :  and  said  she  should  think  it  her 
duty  to  stay  by  me  until  I  should  relate 
the  cause  of  my  grief,  that  she  might 
pour  into  my  heart  a  heavenly  balm,  &c. 
I  told  her  I  had  not  seen  or  heard  from 
my  friends,  to  whom  I  had  written.  She 
said  that  was  nothing  to  the  point ;  she 
was  my  friend ;  and  asked  me  if  I  called 
persons  who  insulted  the  house  of  God 
7 


146  SIX   MONTHS 

my  friends.  I  replied,  -:  No."  She  then 
said  one  person  had  been  there  who 
called  herself  my  sister,  and  who  threw 
pebbles  at  the  Convent.  She  also  men- 
tioned another  person,  who  came  with  my 
sister,  and  whom  she  said  she  would  not 
take  to  "  wipe  her  feet  on.'''*  After 

•  I  learn  from  my  sister  that  while  I  was  in  the  Convent  she 
and  another  young  lady  went  there  to  invite  me  to  my  sister  M.'s 
wedding.  She  asked  the  portress  if  I  could  be  seen  at  that  hour, 
•who  replied  she  would  see,  and  asked  her  to  walk  in,  inquired 
her  name,  &c.,  went  out,  and  soon  returned  with  the  answer  that 
the  scholars  were  not  permitted  to  come  to  the  parlor  that  day. 
My  sister  told  her  it  was  important  that  she  should  see  me,  and 
•he  ;ould  not  come  away  without.  The  portress  left  the  room, 
returned,  closed  the  shutters,  retired,  and  presently  the  Superior 
entered,  walking  between  two  servants,  and  made  signs  for  my 
sister  to  approach,  inquiring  hers  and  the  other  lady's  names, 
and  their  business.  On  being  informed,  she  mentioned  that  I 
could  not  be  seen,  but  she  would  deliver  any  message  my  sister 
desired ;  that  the  young  ladies  never  violated  the  rules  for 
the  sake  of  seeing  company,  and  that  I  did  not  wish  to  see  any 
worldly  friends,  or  have  any  communication  with  them  ;  that  my 
mind  was  wholly  occupied  with  heavenly  things;  that  I  was  per- 
fectly happy,  and  "growing  as  fat  as  butter  ;"  that  1  was  fast  im- 
proving in  my  studies,  learning  music,  and  drawing,  (untrue.)  In 
ronsei|iience  of  my  sister's  weeping,  and  desiring  her  to  name  a 
lime  wh».ii  I  c- nil!  lie  seen  the  Su;  -rior  .--:ii,|  slie  v.-'iu|d  so  anJ 
h'juirp  wh'H'ner  !  ili'-ireil  to  see  her.  The  vji..ri'ir  soon  rr.urried, 
and  told  my  sister  that  I  did  not  wish  to  see  her,  or  any  worldly 
ralalive ;  but  the  Superior  told  her  that  if  I  chose  I  could  come  to 


IN    A    CONVENT.  147 

making  this  observation,  she  left  me  for  a 
few  moments,  to  compose  myself.  Re- 
turning, she  asked  if  I  knew  where  I 
was,  and  if  I  had  concluded  to  obey  her, 
or  break  my  vow  of  obedience  and  be 
severely  punished.  I  answered,  "  No  ! 
Marnere,  I  will  tell  all  I  can  remember;" 
for  I  judged  from  her  threats  and  looks 
that  I  should  be  confined  in  a  cellar,  or 
have  something  more  severe  than  usual 
inflicted  upon  me.  The  rules  of  the 
or  ler  also  led  me  to  think  so.  But  not- 
withstanding my  fear  of  the  Superior,  I 
still  kept  secret  the  real  name  of  Miss 
Mary  Francis,  and  her  promise  of  writ- 
ing to  Mrs.  G.  or  my  friends  respecting 
my  situation.  She  then  dismissed  me  for 
a  while.  But  my  thoughts  soon  whispered 

the  weddin?.  They  both  left  the  Convent  with  the  impression 
that  I  was  a  public  scholar,  and  could  leavo  when  I  chose  ;  and 
thought  it  passing  strange  that  I  should  refuse  to  see  them,  as  I 
had.  before  cr-ii-ii:  to  the  Convent,  requested  them  to  visit  me.  My 
si-.irr  inuiLMiiei'  thai  I  hail  heroine  so  infatuated  with  the  Calimiic 
relUriou  ^s  to  lose  all  sisterly  affection  for  those  who  were  averse 
to  it,  and  went  away  weeping. 


148  SIX    MONTHS 

me   that  our  "  Ghostly  Father"   (as  our 
Directory  taught  us  to  call  him)  had  made 
the  Superior  acquainted  with  what  passed 
in  secret  confession,  because  without  such 
knowledge   she  never    could  have  used 
such   threatening    language,    and    never 
could  have  been  displeased,  as  she  was, 
at  words  which  I  had  used  in  secret  con- 
fession alone  with  the  Bishop.      She  asked 
me  how  I  dared  to  converse  with  Mary 
Francis   on    the    slate.     Xow    she  never 
could    have    known    this    only  from  the 
Bishop.     I  was  never  fully  aware  of  their 
arts  in  getting  at  secrets   by    confession 
until  they  became  too  visible  to  be  misun- 
derstood.    I  then  became  more  reserved, 
and  the  Superior  remarked  that  1  did  not 
show   so  much  frankness  of  manner  as 
formerly;    the     reason     of     which     the 
reader  will  understand  to  be,   that    every 
eye    was   on   me.     A    different   course  I 
could  not  adopt,  having  lost  confidence  in 
my  confessor.     I  did  not  follow  his  ad- 
vice, but  resolved  to  follow,  as  nearly  as 


IN    A    CONVENT.  149 

I  could  conscientiously,  the  advice  of 
Mary  Francis,  being  confident  she  was 
my  friend. 

I  felt  a  repugnance  at  the  idea  of  re- 
turning to  the  world,  supposing  that 
many  would  believe  me  a  person  roman- 
tic and  visionary,  and  inexperienced  in 
the  ways  of  the  world,  and  therefore  unfit 
for  society.  And  I  was  also  particularly 
averse  to  taking  this  step,  because  of 
the  solemn  promise  of  seclusion  which  I 
had  taken.  Nevertheless,  I  resolved  to 
leave  that  Convent,  and  write  to  Miss 
Mary  Francis  from  my  friend  Mrs.  G.'s, 
but  was  undetermined  whether  I  should 
return  to  the  world.  I  hud  reason  to 
think  that  my  letters  were  never  sent  to 
my  friends,  and  determined  to  convey  one 
privately.  I  stole  a  few  moments  and 
hastily  wrote  some  lines  with  my  pencil, 
and  hid  them  behind  the  altar ;  but  the 
billet  was  discovered,  and  I  never  heard 
from  it. 

It  was  my  turn  that  week  to  read  as 


150  SIX    MONTHS 

"lecturess."  A  book  was  placed  before 
me  in  the  refectory,  called  "Rules  of  Saint 
Augustine,"  and  the  place  marked  to 
read  was  concerning  a  Religieuse  receiv- 
ing letters  clandestinely.  I  could  not 
control  my  feelings,  for  what  I  read  was 
very  affecting.  At  this  time  we  were  di- 
rected to  remain  in  the  refectory,  instead 
of  assembling  in  the  community,  and  told 
to  repeat  "  Hail  Mary"  before  a  picture. 
The  Superior  and  Mother  Assistant  con- 
sented to  have  me  practise  music  no 
more  during  the  cold  weather.  They 
also  permitted  me  to  wear  warmer 
clothing. 

One  day  as  I  was  sitting  alone  in  the 
refectory,  in  the  time  of  silence,  the  Su- 
perior came  in,  and  after  kneeling  and  ex- 
tending her  arms  in  the  form  of  a  cross, 
she  kissed  the  floor,  and  rising,  walked 
towards  the  door ;  returning,  she  seated 
herself  on  the  bench  beside  me.  I  asked 
her  if  I  should  bring  a  chair  ;  she  an- 
swered, "  No,"  and  inquired  how  I  felt, 


IN   A    CONVENT.  151 

*nd  why  I  changed  color  while  at  tho 
table.  I  replied  that  my  month  was  very 
sore,  and  it  hurt  me  to  read.  She  wished 
to  know  what  made  my  mouth  sore.  I 
told  her  I  thought  it  was  something  I  had 
eaten.  She  said,  laughingly,  it  was  tho 
canker,  and  asked  if  it  was  not  sent  as  a 
judgment  for  some  sin.  I  replied  that  I 
did  not  know ;  I  had  not  felt  very  well  for 
some  days,  and  thought  it  was  partly 
owing  to  want  of  exercise.  She  then 
sent  Sister  Martha  to  conduct  me  into  a 
room  at  the  farther  part  of  the  Convent, 
for  the  first  time,  called  a  "  man fie 
room.''  There  were  some  Sisters  there 
kneeling  in  devotion,  and  one  turning  a 
machine  used  for  pressing  clothes,  instead 
of  ironing  them,  called  a  mangle.  Sho 
presented  rne  with  some  altar  laces,  and 
told  me  to  have  them  prepared  for  the 
altar  the  next  day  at  the  ringing  of  the 
bell.  While  there  T  was  watched  very 
narrowly  ;  but  as  I  had  gathered  from  the 
Superior's  conversation,  at  different  times, 


152  SIX     MONTHS 

that  the  gates  were  watched  by  the  por- 
ters and  dogs,  which  were  of  great  value 
to  the  Convent,  I  did  not  dare,  then,  to 
make  my  escape,  but  appeared  as  cheerful 
as  possible.  The  Sisters  appeared  very 
happy,  it  being  a  day  of  recreation  in  the 
Community,  and  the  celebration  of  some 
great  Saint.  The  Superior,  as  she  passed 
her  portrait,  remarked,  that  she  never 
looked  at  it  but  that  it  reminded  her  of 
smiling.  She  appeared  in  unusually  good 
spirits,  and  gave  us  permission  to  wish 
each  other  happy  feasts,  not  of  luxury 
and  feasting,  in  the  common  acceptation 
of  the  terms,  but  of  prayers  to  the  Saints 
to  free  us  from  purgatory.  In  the  course 
of  the  Superior's  conversation,  she  said 
she  had  read  in  the  newspapers  of  a  new 
law  which  had  been  passed,  that  no  per- 
son who  was  under  the  age  of  twenty- 
eight  or  thirty  years  should  be  allowed  to 
keep  any  school.  The  Mother  Assistant 
approved  of  this  law,  and  said  it  was 
good  as  it  would  remove  the  difficulty 


INA    CONVENT.  153 

which  overseers  had  with  young  teachers 
who  were  unfit  to  take  charge  of  a  school, 
particularly  the  discipline. 

I  would  here  confess  my  fault  (if  a  fault 
it  was)  of  not  acknowledging  all  my  ohli- 
gations  in  secret  confession,  and  of  pre- 
tending to  think  Mary  Francis  deranged  ; 
and  also  of  acquiescing  in  the  Superior's 
commands  in  her  presence  with  feigned 
humility.  I  did  this  that  my  design  should 
not  be  suspected. 

A  letter  was  read  to  the  Community, 
that  was  addressed  to  the  Superior,  from 
Bishop  P.,  of  Emrnetsburg.  In  it  he  re- 
joiced to  learn  that  the  "  Community" 
was  set  free  of  that  person  who  was  de- 
ranged, and  whose  disposition  he  had 
known  to  his  sorrow  from  her  youth.  He 
lamented  the  departure  of  Magdalene, 
who  no  doubt  was  a  Saint  reigning  in 
glory,  after  what  she  had  been  willing  to 
suffer  to  gain  salvation.^  I  was  sent  for 

•  Since  leaving  the.  Convent  I  hive  written  to  Mi.ss  Mary 
Francis  for  information  in  regard  to  this  letter,  but  have  received 
no  satisfactory  answer.  I  have  however  received  from  her  three 
letters. 


154  SIX      MONTHS 

to  attend  the  Superior  in  the  Bishop's 
room,  after  Mass.  She  was  folding  his 
cassoc  and  robe.  When  I  entered,  she 
bade  me  do  as  my  Directory  taught,  and 
said  I  had  let  trifles  make  an  impression 
upon  me,  and  weak  minds  only  allowed 
trifles  to  affect  them.  Giving  me  the  let- 
ter, she  bade  me  tell  her  what  I  thought 
of  it.  I  read  it,  and  said  1  could  not  be- 
lieve what  Mary  Francis  had  told  me,  if 
she  were  deranged,  but  yet  I  had  rather 
go  to  the  Convent  where  she  was  edu- 
cated than  stay  at  that  on  Mount  Bene- 
dict. She  asked  me  if  I  thought  of  going 
without  protection  1  I  begged  of  her  to  let 
me  see  some  of  my  friends  there,  or  permit 
me  to  return  to  the  world.  After  saying 
she  had  sent  my  letters*  to  my  friends, 
who,  if  they  wished,  could  come  there  and 
see  me,  she  told  me  not  to  trouble  myself, 
for  the  Bishop  would  soon  be  there,  and  I 
coulrl  talk  with  him  about  it.f 

•  My  friends  never  received  any  letter  frcm  me. 

t  1  car...ot  rainem^er  all  that  passed  in  confession,  for  I  wai  at 


IN    A    CONVENT.  155 

One  Sabbath  after  Mass,  while  we  were 
in  the  choir  repeating  the  examination  of 
conscience  or  monthly  review,  I  was 
called  in  a  whisper  into  the  community, 
with  the  rest  of  the  Sisters,  but  pretended 
not  to  hear.  The  others  went  in  while  1 
remained.  I  heard  the  Bishop  speak  to 
them  as  they  went  in.  But  I  had  absented 
myself  from  confession  and  communion 
that  day,  and  did  not  wish  to  see  the 
Bishop  on  account  of  his  previous 
language.  After  the  doors  had  been 
opened  several  times,  one  of  the  Reli- 
gieuse  (Sister  Martha*')  came  in  and 
knc-Jt  with  me.  The  bell  then  rang,  and  I 
went  into  the  refectory,  waiting  as  usual 

this  lime  much  confused  ;  however,  the  Bishop  asked  me  how  I 
should  like  to  sro  to  a  Convent  in  Canada,  which  I  objected  lo. 

•  I  will  not  presume  to  say  much  about  Sister  Martha,  as  I  never 
conversed  with  her,  and  therefore  was  not  so  able  to  judge  of  her 
sufferings,  <fcc.  Shy  was  a  professed  Lay  Religieuse,  an.i  I  be- 
lieve an  American.  She  was  called  the  Portress,  and  one  of 
those  (I  learned)  who  chose  rather  to  be  a  doorkeeper  than  to 
dwell  among  the  wicked.  She,  together  with  three  of  the  Choir 
Reliirieuse,  lodged  in  the  infirmary  with  me.  While  she  slept 
there,  she  (as  did  Magdalene)  coughed  at  intervals  during  the 
night.  Sister  Martha  often  approached  the  Superior  kneeling  and 
weeping. 


156  SIX    MONTHS 

for  the  Mother  Assistant's  instructions  in 
the  Latin  office.  Sister  Martha  soon 
entered,  and  asked  if  I  knew  where  the 
Mother  Assistant  was,  and  whether  I  had 
been  into  the  community  since  Mass.  I 
replied,  No,  but  was  waiting  for  the  Mother 
Assistant.  After  saying  office  I  went 
down  to  the  refectory  to  string  some  rosary 
beads,  and  afterwards  returned  to  the 
choir,  where  the  Novices  were  telling  their 
beads.  The  Superior  came  in  to  join  in 
devotion,  and  remained  until  diet.  As  we 
were  proceeding  to  diet,  I  accidentally 
touched  the  Superior ;  she  looked  at  me, 
and  appeared  much  displeased.  At  re- 
creation the  Religieuse  were  very  desirous 
to  learn  the  state  of  my  mind.  I  strove 
to  appear  unembarrassed,  and  answered 
their  questions  with  seeming  ignorance. 
I  was  not  censured  for  my  transgression 
of  the  rules,  nor  was  any  remark  made 
upon  it. 

In  the  evening  we  were  permitted  to 
sit  in    the  community,  which  had  been 


IN    A    CONVENT.  157 

warmed.  After  repeating  the  offices,  and 
during  the  time  of  silence,  a  dog  barked 
in  front  of  the  community,  and  we  heard 
a  noise  like  some  one  thumping  upon 
the  doors.  The  Religieuse  fell  down 
before  the  altar,  and  appeared  much 
frightened.  I  kept  my  seat,  but  at  that 
moment  heard  the  window  raised,  and 
the  Superior  ask  who  was  there.  No 
answer  was  made  to  her  inquiry.  I  then 
felt  somewhat  alarmed,  but  endeavored  to 
betray  as  little  fear  as  possible.  What 
this  noise  was,  or  for  what  reason  it  was 
made.  I  never  could  learn,  but  I  have 
supposed  it  was  done  to  see  if  I  was  easily 
alarmed.  The  like  had  several  times 
occurred. 

About  this  time  the  martyrologies  of 
some.  Saints  were  read  at  table  :  also  the 
history  of  Saints  who  had  been  tempted 
by  Satan.  Perhaps  it  may  be  well  to  re- 
;ate  one  or  two.  A  certain  Saint,  who 
was  strongly  tempted  by  Satan,  retired  to 
.a  desert,  and  confined  himself  to  a  cell, 
scarcely  larar  enough  for  him  to  lie  at 


158  SIX    MONTHS 

ease.  He  retired  here  for  pious  purposes. 
After  mortifying  his  body  for  a  long  time, 
he  prayed  for  rain  that  he  might  quench 
his  thirst,  which  was  granted.  A  bird 
came  and  brought  him  food,  which  renew- 
ed his  strength,  and  he  returned  to  his  Mo- 
nastery, and  was  never  more  troubled 
with  the  temptations  of  Satan. 

Some  noblemen  once  invited  a  poor 
wandering  monk,  who  was  begging  for 
the  Monastery,  to  dine  with  them  on 
Friday.  They  helped  him  to  meat ;  he 
made  the  sign  of  the  cross,  refusing  to  eat 
it.  They  asked  the  reason,  and  drawing 
their  swords,  threatened  his  life  unless  he 
did  eat  it.  He  told  them  if  they  would 
allow  him  a  few  minutes  that  he  might 
pray,  and  give  him  a  pewter  plate  to  cover 
the  meat,  he  would  eat  it.  After  pray- 
ing a  few  minutes  that  the  meat  might 
become  fish,  he  took  off  the  plate,  and  be- 
hold it  was  fish:  and  he  then  sat  down 
and  ate,  and  they  believed  him  an  inspired 
man.. 

Many  accounts   of  thoss  Yv'Lv  h;  d  be- 


INACONVENT.  159 

come  Saints  were  so  disagreeable  and 
even  revolting,  that  I  will  not  attempt  to 
relate  or  describe  them. 

As  several  of  my  friends  desire  to  learn 
something  concerning  the  scholars,  I  will 
relate  what  little  I  know.  I  never  had 
permission  to  enter  any  of  the  rooms  in 
the  recluse  apartments,  except  those  be- 
fore named,  and  never  to  the  public  apart- 
ments, except  on  examination  days,  when 
the  Superior  and  Bishop  were  present. 
During  one  vacation,  the  young  ladies 
who  remained  were  permitted  to  visit  the 
Community,  to  give  the  members  pre- 
sents.* I  never  spoke  to  them  but  to  thank 
them  for  a  present.  They  were  some- 
times at  vacation  permitted  to  enter  the 
Community  and  embrace  the  Religieuse. 

Complaints  were  often  brought  to  the 
Superior  while  at  recreation,  and  some- 
times repeated  aloud.  They  were  gene- 
rally violations  of  the  r.Wr<?.  which  were 
very  strict.  They  were  sometimes  pim- 

•  Although  we  received  presents,  we  were  cot  allowed  tg  keep 
them, 


160  SIX    MONTHS 

ished  for  refusing  to  say  prayers  to  the 
Saints,  which  they  said  their  parents  dis- 
approved of;  also  for  refusing  to  read 
Roman  Catholic  history.  A  Miss  T.,  of 
C.,  was  brought  to  the  Superior,  and 
reprimanded  for  writing  her  discontents 
to  her  friends.  The  Superior  destroyed 
one  half  the  letter,  and  gave  me  the 
blank  leaf  to  write  a  prayer  on.  Another 
was  reprimanded  severely  because  she 
had  said  to  the  other  young  misses  she 
should  be  glad  when  the  time  came  for 
her  to  leave  the  Convent,  &c.  The  Su- 
perior, shaking  her  severely,  obliged  her 
to  kneel  and  perform  an  act  of  contrition, 
by  kissing  the  floor,  and  saying  that  she 
was  very  sorry  that  she  had  offended  her 
teachers,  and  begged  the  forgiveness 
of  all. 

Some  of  the  young  ladies  were  appa- 
rently great  favorites  of  the  Superior  and 
Bishop.  They  sometimes  sent  for  them 
to  bestow  presents  and  caress  them.  One 
young  lady,  of  whom  the  Bishop  was 


IN   A    CONVENT.  161 

guardian,  was  treated  very  ill.  I  often 
saw  her  in  tea.s.  mid  once  heard  the 
teacher  tell  the  Superior  tiir.t  it  wtis  be- 
cause she  had  no  dress  suitable  to  wear 
into  the  world  to  see  her  friends.  She 
was  designed,  as  I  learned,  to  be  a  teacher 
in  a  Convent  in  Canada. 

A  number  of  the  young  ladies  were 
unhappy,  whose  names  I  have  forgotten. 
I  learned  that  they  disliked  the  discipline. 

After  this  the  Superior  was  sick  of  the 
influenza,  and  I  did  not  see  her  for  two 
or  three  days.  I  attended  to  my  offices 
as  usual,  such  as  preparing  the  wine  and 
the  water,  the  chalice,  host,  holy  water, 
and  vestments,  &c.  One  day.  however,  1 
had  forgotten  to  attend  to  this  duty  at  the 
appointed  hour,  but  recollecting  it,  and 
fearing  lest  I  should  offend  the  Superior 
by  reason  of  negligence,  I  asked  per- 
mission to  leave  the  room,  telling  a  No- 
vice that  our  Mother  had  given  me  per- 
mission to  attend  to  it ;  she  answered, 

"L  O  yes,  Sister,  you  can  go  then."     1  wcut 

7* 


162  SIX    MONTHS 

immediately  to  the  chapel,  and  was 
arranging  the  things  for  Mass,  which 
was  to  take  place  the  next  day.  While 
busily  employed,  I  heard  the  adjoining 
door  open,  and  the  Bishop's  voice  dis- 
tinctly. Being  conscious  that  I  was 
there  at  the  wrong  hour,  I  kept  as  still 
as  possible,  lest  I  should  be  discovered. 
While  in  this  room  I  overheard  the  fol- 
lowing conversation  between  the  Bish- 
op and  Superior.  The  Bishop,  after 
taking  snuff  in  his  usual  manner,  began 
by  saying,  "  Well,  well,  what  does  Agnes 
say?  how  does  she  appear?"  I  heard 
distinctly  from  the  Superior  in  reply,  that, 
"  According  to  all  appearances,  she  is 
either  possessed  of  insensibility  or  great 
command."  The  Bishop  walked  about 
the  room,  seeming  much  displeased  with 
the  Superior,  and  cast  many  severe  and 
improper  reflections  upon  Mary  Francis, 
who,  it  was  known,  had  influenced  me ;  all 
which  his  Lordship  will  well  remember. 
He  then  told  the  Superior  that  the  esta- 


IN    A    CONVENT.  163 

blishment  was  in  its  infancy  ;  and  that  it 
would  not  do  to  have  such  reports  go 
abroad  as  these  persons  would  carry ;  that 
Agnes  must  be  taken  care  of;  that  they 
had  better  send  her  to  Canada,  and  that 
a  carriage  could  cross  the  line  in  two  or 
three  days.  He  added,  by  way  of  repe- 
tition, that  it  would  not  do  for  the  Pro- 
testants to  get  hold  of  those  things  and 
make  another  "  fuss."  He  then  gave  the 
Superior  instructions  how  to  entice  me 
into  the  carriage,  and  they  soon  both  left 
the  room  and  I  heard  no  more. 

The  reader  may  well  judge  of  my 
feelings  at  this  moment ;  a  young  and 
inexperienced  female,  shut  out  from  the 
world,  and  entirely  beyond  the  reach  of 
friends  ;  threatened  with  speedy  trans- 
portation to  another  country,  and  invo- 
luntary confinement  for  life,  with  no  pow- 
er to  resist  the  immediate  fulfilment  of  the 
startling  conspiracy  I  had  overheard.  It 
was  with  much  difficulty  that  I  controlled 
my  feelings,  but  aware  of  the  importance 


164  SIX   MONTHS 

of  not  betraying  any  knowledge  of  what 
had  taken  place,  [succeeded  in  returning  to 
the  refectory  unsuspected.  I  now  became 
firmly  impressed  that  unless  I  could  con- 
trive to  break  away  from  the  Convent 
soon,  it  would  be  forever  too  late  ;  and  that 
every  day  I  remained  rendered  my  escape 
more  difficult. 

The  next  day  I  went  to  auricular  con- 
fefsion,  not  without  trembling  and  fear, 
lest  i  "hould  betray  myself.  But  having 
committed  my  case  to  God.  I  went  some- 
what relieved  in  my  feelings.  At  a  pre- 
vious confession  I  had  refused  to  go  to 
Canada,  but  at  this  time,  in  reply  to  the 
Bishop's  inquiry,  I  answered  that  I  would 
consider  the  subject ;  for  I  thought  it 
wrong  to  evince  any  want  of  fortitude, 
especially  when  I  had  so  much  need  of 
it.  I  did  not  alter  my  course  of  conduct, 
fc.i  .  I  appeared  })e.-."'-:-.]y  "•.,,•- 

teiiicu  t  ^uuuid  be  suspected  ol  uu  mien- 
tion  to  escape. 

It  was  my  turn  during  that  week  to 


IN    A    CONVENT.  165 

officiate  in  the  offices.  While  reading,  I 
felt  something  rise  in  my  throat,  which 
two  or  three  times  I  tried  to  swallow,  but 
it  still  remained.  I  felt  alarmed,  it  being 
what  I  had  never  before  experienced.* 
At  recreation  I  was  asked  what  ailed  me, 
and  replied  that  I  could  not  tell :.  but  I  de- 
scribed my  feelings,  and  was  told  I  was 
vaporish. 

They  were  very  desirous  that  week  to 
know  if  my  feelings  were  changed.  I 
said  they  were,  and  endeavored  to  make 
it  appear  to  them  that  Satan  had  left  me. 
But  in  reality  I  feared  I  should  never  es- 
cape from  them,  though  I  had  determined 
to  do  so  the  first  opportunity. 

I  was  in  the  habit  of  talking  in  my 
sleep,  and  had  often  awoke  and  found  the 
Reiigieuse  kneeling  around  my  couch, 
and  was  told  that  they  were  praying  for 
me.  Fearing  lest  I  should  let  fall  some 
word  or  words  which  \vouid  betray  me, 
I  tied  a  handkerchief  around  my  face,  de- 

•  I  have  since  named  the  circumstance  to  a  physician,  who  says 
it  was  fear  alona. 


166  SIX     MONTHS 

termining  if  observed  to  give  the  appear- 
ance of  having  the  teeth  ache,  and  so 
avoid  detection.  For  some  days  I  was 
not  well,  and  my  mind,  as  may  naturally 
be  supposed,  sympathized  with  my  body, 
and  many  things  occurred  that  were  to 
me  unpleasant,  which  I  shall  pass  un- 
noticed. 

But  what  I  have  now  to  relate  is  of  im- 
portance. A  few  days  after,  while  at  my 
needle  in  the  refectory,  I  heard  a  carriage 
drive  to  the  door  of  the  Convent,  and 
heard  a  person  step  into  the  Superior's 
room.  Immediately  the  Superior  passed 
lightly  along  the  passage  which  led  to  the 
back  entry,  where  the  men  servants  or 
porters  were  employed,  and  reprimanded 
them  in  a  loud  tone  for  something  they 
were  doing.  She  then  opened  the  door  of 
the  refectory,  and  seemed  indifferent  about 
entering,  but  at  length  seated  herself  be- 
side me,  and  began  conversation,  by  say- 
ing, "  Well,  my  dear  girl,  what  do  you 
think  of  going  to  see  your  friends?"  1 


IN    A    CONVENT.  167 

said,  "  What  friends,  Mamere?"  said  she, 
"You  would  like  to  see  your  friends 
Mrs.  G.,  and  Father  B.,  and  talk  with 
them  respecting  your  call  to  another 
order."  Before  I  had  time  to  answer, 
she  commenced  taking  oft'  my  garb,  telling 
me  she  was  in  haste,  and  that  a  carriage 
was  in  waiting  to  convey  me  to  my 
friends.  I  answered,  with  as  cheerful  a 
countenance  as  I  could  assume,  "  O,  Ma- 
mere,  I  am  sorry  to  give  you  so  much 
trouble  ;  I  had  rather  see  them  here  first." 
While  we  were  conversing  I  heard  a  little 
bell  ring  several  times.  The  Superior 
said,  "  Well,  my  dear,  make  up  your  mind; 
the  bell  calls  me  to  the  parlor."  She  soon 
returned,  and  asked  if  I  had  made  up  my 
mind  to  go.  I  answered,  "No,  Mamere." 
She  then  said  I  had  failed  in  obedience  to 
her,  and  as  I  had  so  often  talked  of  going 
to  another  order  with  such  a  person  as 
Mary  Francis,  I  had  better  go  immedi- 
ately ;  and  again  she  said,  raising  her 
voice,  "  You  have  failed  in  respect  to  your 


168  SIX    MONTHS 

Superior  ;  you  must  recollect  that  I  am  a 
lady  of  quality,  brought  up  in  opulence, 
and  accustomed  to  all  the  luxuries  of 
life."  I  told  her  that  I  was  very  sorry  to 
have  listened  to  any  thing  wrong  against 
her  dignity.  She  commanded  me  to 
kneel,  which  I  did ;  and  if  ever  tears  were 
a  relief  to  me  they  were  then.  She 
stamped  upon  the  floor  violently,  and 
asked,  if  I  was  innocent,  why  I  did  not 
go  to  communion.  I  told  her  I  felt  un- 
worthy to  go  to  communion  at  that  time.* 
The  bell  again  rang,  and  she  left  the 
room,  and  in  a  few  moments  returning, 
desired  me  to  tell  her  immediately 
what  I  thought  of  doing,  for  as  she  had 
promised  to  protect  me  forever,  she  must 
know  my  mind.  She  then  mentioned 
that  the  carriage  was  still  in  waiting.  I 
still  declined  going,  for  I  was  convinced 

•  My  eyes  were  opened  ;  I  found  myself  in  an  error,  and  had 
been  too  enthusiastic  in  my  first  views  of  a  Convent  life.  I  was 
discontented  with  my  situation,  and  was  using  some  deception 
towards  the  Superior  and  the  Religieuse,  in  order  to  effect  an  ea- 
sape  ;  therefore  I  did  not  feel  worthy  to  attend  communion. 


IN    A    CONVENT.  169 

their  object  was  not  to  carry  me  to  Mrs. 
G.  and  Priest  B.,  to  consult  about  another 
order,  but  directly  to  Canada.  I  told  her 
I  had  concluded  to  ask  my  confessor's  ad- 
vice, and  meditate  on  it  some  longer. 
She  rather  emphatically  said,  "  You  can 
meditate  on  it  if  you  please,  and  do  as  you 
like  about  going  to  see  your  friends." 
She  said  that  my  sister  had  been  there, 
and  did  not  wish  to  see  me.  Our  con- 
versation was  here  interrupted  by  the 
entrance  of  a  Novice.  The  Superior  then 
gave  me  my  choice,  either  to  remain  on 
Mount  Benedict,  or  go  to  some  other 
order,  and  by  the  next  week  to  make  up 
my  mind,  as  it  remained  with  me  to  de- 
cide. She  then  gave  me  a  heavy  penance 
to  perform,  which  was,  instead  of  going 
to  the  choir  as  usual  at  the  ringing  of  the 
bell,  to  go  to  the  mangle  room  and  repeat 
"  Ava  Marias"  while  turning  the  mangle. 
While  performing  my  penance,  Sister 
Martha  left  the  room,  and  soon  returning, 
said  she  had  orders  to  release  me  from 
8 


170  SIX    MONTH  S 

my  penance,  and  to  direct  me  to  finish 
my  meditations  on  the  picture  of  a  Saint, 
which  she  gave  me.  But  instead  of  saying 
,  the  prayers  that  I  was  bidden,  I  fervently 
''  prayed  to  be  delivered  from  their  wicked 
hands. 

They  appeared  much  pleased  with  my 
supposed  reformation,  and  I  think  they 
believed  me  sincere.  The  Superior,  as  a 
test  of  my  humility,  kept  me  reading ;  that 
is,  made  no  signal  for  me  to  stop,  until 
the  diet  was  over,  when  a  plate  of  apple 
parings,  the  remnant  of  her  dessert,  was 
brought  from  the  Superior's  table,  and  the 
signal  given  for  me  to  lay  down  my  book 
and  eat  them.*  I  ate  afeiv  of  them  only, 
hoping  they  might  think  my  abstaining 
from  the  remainder  self-denial  in  me,  and 
not  suspect  me  of  discontent  or  disobedi- 
ence. I  performed  all  my  penances  with 
apparent  cheerfulness. 

The  Bishop  visited  the  Convent  on  the 

•  Thii  was  the  second  time  I   had  been   presented  with  apjilu 
parings  by  the  Superior. 


IN   A    CONVENT.  171 

next  holy  day,  and  on  their  remarking 
that  he  had  been  absent  some  time,  he 
made  many  excuses  ;  one  of  which  was, 
he  had  been  engaged  in  collecting  money 
to  establish  the  order  of  the  "Sisters  of 
Charity"  where  the  "  Community"  once 
lived ;  and  he  spoke  of  the  happiness  of  the 
life  of  a  "  Religieuse"  of  this  order.  After 
he  played  on  the  piano,  "  Away  with  Me- 
lancholy," the  Superior  asked  me  to  play, 
and  the  Bishop  said,  "  By  all  means."  I 
complied,  but  my  voice  faltered  through 
fear,  when  Miss  Mary  Benedict  apolo- 
gized for  me,  by  saying  I  had  not  prac- 
tised much  lately,  on  account  of  the 
Mother  Assistant's  engagements,  and  the 
young  ladies  occupying  all  the  instru- 
ments. She  showed  the  Bishop  a  robe 
which  I  had  been  busy  in  working  for 
him.  He  said  I  must  not  on  any  account 
neglect  my  music.  After  telling  one  of 
his  stories  about  a  monk  who  had  diso- 
beyed the  rules  of  his  order  until  Satan 
took  possession  of  him,  he  left  us,  say- 


172 


SIX    MONTHS 


ing  he  hoped  "  old  Scratch"  would  not 
take  possession  of  our  hearts  as  he  did  that 
monk's,  and  hoped  that  we  should  never 
have  another  Judas  in  the  Community. 

Some  days  after  the  conversation  which 
I  heard  between  the  Bishop  and  Superior 
while  behind  the  altar,  I  was  in  the  re- 
fectory at  my  work,  and  heard  the  noise 
of  the  porters,  who  were  employed  saw- 
ing Avood,  and  I  conjectured  the  gate  might 
be  open  for  them.  I  thought  it  a  good  op- 
portunity to  escape,  which  I  contemplated 
doing  in  this  manner,  viz.  :  to  ask  permis- 
sion to  leave  the  room,  and  as  I  passed  the 
entry,  to  secrete  about  my  habit  a  hood 
which  hung  there,  that  would  help  to  con- 
ceal part  of  my  garb  from  particular  obser- 
vation; then  to  feign  an  errand  to  the  infir- 
marian  from  the  Superior,  as  I  imagined  I 
could  escape  by  the  door  of  the  infirmary. 
This  plan  formed,  and  just  as  I  was  going, 
I  heard  a  band  of  music,  playing,  as  it 
seemed,  in  front  of  the  Convent.  I  heard 
the  young  ladies  assembling  in  the  parlor, 


IN    A    CONVENT.  173 

and  the  porters  left  their  work,  as  I  sup- 
posed, for  the  noise  of  the  saws  ceased. 
I  felt  quite  revived,  and  was  more  confi- 
dent I  should  be  able  to  escape  without 
detection,  even  should  it  be  necessary  to 
get  over  the  fence.  I  feigned  an  errand, 
and  asked  permission  of  Miss  Mary  Austin 
to  leave  the  room,*  which  she  granted. 
I  succeeded  in  secreting  the  hood,  and  the 
book  in  which  Miss  Mary  Francis  had  left 
her  address,  and  then  knocked  at  the  door 
three  times  which  led  to  the  lay  apart- 
ments. A  person  came  to  the  door,  who 
appeared  in  great  distress. f 

•  Sister  Martha  (the  sick  Religietise)  was  scouring  the  flo«r 
at  this  time,  which  I  saw  was  quite  too  hard  for  her.  Not 
long  after  I  left,  I  inquired  after  her,  and  learned  she  was  no 
more. 

t  This  was  Sarah  S.,  (a  domestic,)  who  appeared  very  unhappy 
while  I  was  in  the  Convent.  I  often  saw  her  in  tears,  and  learned 
from  the  Superior  that  she  was  sighing  for  the  veil.  When  I  saw 
my  brother  I  informed  him  of  this  circumstance,  and  he  soon  found 
who  she  was,  and  ascertained  that  some  ladies  in  Cambridge  had 
been  to  see  the  Superior,  who  used  to  them  pretty  much  the  same 
language  she  did  to  my  sister.  I  have  since  seen  her.  She  • 
still  under  the  influence  of  the  Roman  Church,  but  assures  ma 
that  she  did  not  refuse  to  sea  the  ladies,  as  the  Superior  had  repre- 
sented to  them,  and  she  wept  because  of  ill  health,  &c. 


174  SIX     MONTHS 

I  asked  her  where  Sister  Bennet  and 
Sister  Bernard  were ;  she  left  rne  to  find 
them.  I  gave  the  infirmarian  to  under- 
stand that  the  Superior  wished  to  see  her, 
and  I  desired  her  to  go  immediately  to  her 
room.  These  gone,  I  unlocked  and  passed 
out  the  back  door,  and  as  the  gate  ap- 
peared shut,  I  climbed  upon  the  slats 
which  confined  the  grape  vines  to  the 
fence;  but  they  gave  way,  and  falling  to 
the  ground,  I  sprained  my  wrist.  I  then 
thought  I  would  try  the  gate,  which  I 
found  unfastened,  and  as  there  was  no  one 
near  it,  I  ran  through,  and  hurried  to  the 
nearest  house.  In  getting  over  the  fences 
between  the  Convent  and  this  house,  I  fell 
and  hurt  myself  badly.  On  reaching  the 
house,  I  fell  exhausted  upon  the  door  step ; 
but  rising  as  soon  as  possible,  I  opened  the 
door,  and  was  allowed  to  enter.  I  inquired 
if  Catholics  lived  there ;  one  answered, 
"  No."  For  some  time  I  could  answer 
none  of  their  questions,  being  so  much 
exhausted. 


IN    A    CONVENT.  175 

As  soon  as  they  understood  that  I  re- 
quested protection,  they  afforded  me  every 
assistance  in  their  power.  I  had  been 
only  a  few  moments  there,  when  I  heard 
the  alarm  bell  ringing  at  the  Convent. 
On  looking  out  at  the  window,  we  saw 
two  of  the  porters  searching  in  the  canal 
with  long  poles.  After  searching  some 
time  they  returned  to  the  Convent,  and  I 
saw  their  dogs  scenting  my  course. 

While  at  that  house  I  looked  in  a  glass, 
and  was  surprised,  nay,  frightened,  at  my 
own  figure,  it  was  so  pale  and  ema- 
ciated.* 

Notwithstanding  my  wrist  being  sprain- 
ed, I  wrote  a  few  lines  to  Mrs.  G.,  whom 
I  still  supposed  my  friend,  begging  her  to 
come  to  my  relief,  for  I  did  not  wish  my 
father  and  sisters  to  see  me  in  my  present 
condition.  I  thanked  God  that  he  had 
inclined  his  ear  unto  me,  and  delivered 
me  out  of  the  hands  of  the  wicked.  But 


•  It  will  be  perceived  that  this  does  not  correspond  with  what 
the  Superior  told  my  sister 


176  SIX     MONTHS 

here  was  not  an  end  of  my  afflictions. 
Mrs.  G.  came  in  the  evening  to  convey 
me  to  her  house.  She  would  not  allow 
me  to  say  any  thing  about  my  escape  at 
Mr.  K.'s,  and  wished  me  to  return  to  the 
Convent  that  night.  I  resolved  not  to  go. 
After  whispering  a  long  time  to  me  about 
the  importance  of  secrecy,  she  left  Mr. 
K.'s,  as  we  supposed,  for  home  ;  but  she 
soon  returned,  saying  she  at  first  in- 
tended to  leave  me  at  Mr.  K.'s,  but  had 
concluded  to  take  me  home  with  her,  as 
she  desired  some  further  conversation. 
Her  manners  appeared  very  strange,  yet 
I  did  not  distrust  her  friendship.  Before 
leaving  Mr.  K.'s,  she  requested  me  to 
obtain  from  them  a  promise  not  to  say 
any  thing  about  my  escape,  which  I 
did. 

After  I  arrived  at  Mrs.  G.'s,  I  showed 
her  my  wounds,  and  my  feet,  which  had 
been  frozen,  and  told  her  I  did  not  find 
the  Convent  what  I  had  expected.  She 
seemed  to  sympathize  with  me,  and  to  do 


IN    A    CONVENT.  177 

all  in  her  power  for  my  recovery.  She 
did  not  then  urge  me  to  say  much,  as  I 
was  quite  weak. 

The  next  morning,  the  Convent  boy  on 
horseback  came  galloping  up  to  the  house, 
and  delivered  to  Mrs.  G.  a  letter  from  the 
Superior,  and  was  very  particular,  as  he 
said  he  had  orders  not  to  give  it  to  any  one 
except  to  her.  She  refused  to  tell  me  its 
contents,  and  sent  directly  for  a  chaise,  to 
go  to  the  Convent.  She  took,  with  her  the 
religious  garb  I  had  worn  on  my  head, 
and  the  book  containing  Miss  Mary 
Francis'  name.^  Meanwhile  I  endeavored 
to  compose  myself,  and  wrote  to  Miss  Mary 
Francis,  agreeably  to  my  promise,  inform- 
ing her  of  my  afflictions,  and  of  my  re- 
luctance to  return  to  the  bustle  of  the 
world.  I  proposed  to  her  some  questions, 
and  requested  her  advice.  1  wrote  that  I 
could  not  think  otherwise  than  that  the 

•  This  book  I  brought  away  because  Mary  Francis  had  pricked 
hers  and  her  father's  real  name  out  in  it,  and  I  wished  to  refer  to 
it,  in  order  to  write  her.  I  took  it  from  my  writing  desk,  and 
•lipped  it  into  my  pocket. 


178  SIX   MONTHS 

Superior  and  Bishop  were  very  wicked. 
I  did  not  write  much,  thinking  her  con- 
fessor might  advise  her  not  to  answer  it, 
as  it  was  probable  that  the  Superior  would 
write  to  him;  and  I  was  anxious  to  con- 
vince Mrs.  G.  that  Mary  Francis  thought 
as  I  did,  for  Mrs.  G.  would  not  permit  me 
to  say  one  word  against  the  Superior  or 
Bishop;  and  I  was  resolved  to  ascertain  if 
Mary  Francis  was  living  and  happy. 
When  Mrs.  G.  returned  from  the  Con  vent 
she  sa'  \  the  Superior  had  too  exalted  an 
opinion  of  me  to  think  I  would  say  any 
thing  against  the  institution,  and  she  had 
sent  me  a  present,  as  she  still  considered 
me  one  of  her  flock ;  and  if  I  had  gone 
astray,  she  should  do  every  thing  she 
could  for  me,  in  a  temporal  as  well  as  in 
a  spiritual  sense,  if  I  would  repent.  My 
words  were  just  these:  "  I  cannot  receive 
any  present  from  the  Superior ;  she  is  a 
wicked  woman,  and  I  do  not  believe  her 
friendship  pure."  At  this  moment  Priest 
B.  drove  to  tl'e  door,  and  desired  to  see  me. 
I  did  not  think  myself  in  danger,  and 


IN    4.    CONVENT.  179 

conversed  with  him;  but  I  soon  found  that 
lie  had  seen  the  Superior  and  Bishop.  He 
said  that  as  he  was  my  sponsor  he  con- 
sidered it  his  duty  to  advise  me,  and  hoped 
I  was  not  going  to  break  my  vows  to  God 
and  expose  myself  to  the  world  ;  because, 
if  I  did,  I  should  be  ridiculed  and  laughed 
at.  He  said  he  had  before  conveyed  a 
Novice  to  the  "  Sisters  of  Charity,"  and 
would  convey  me  to  them,  or  to  some 
other  retired  place  which  I  might  choose, 
and  that  he  was  deeply  concerned  for  my 
welfare.  I  told  him  I  could  not  think  of 
going  anywhere  then,  as  my  health  would 
not  allow  any  exposure  to  the  cold,  and 
that  Mrs.  G.  thought  it  best  I  should  re- 
main with  her  until  I  was  better,  when  I 
should  visit  my  father.  He  then  exclaim- 
ed, "What  letter  is  this?"  taking  up  and 
reading  the  one  I  had  written  to  Mary 
Francis.  After  reading  it,  he  appeared 
surprised,  and  desired  to  know  how  I 
came  in  possession  of  her  name.  He 
said  he  should  have  seen  me  at  the  Con- 
vent had  he  known  I  was  discontented; 


180  SIX    MONTHS 

and  that  if  the  Superior  had  done  wrong, 
it  was  no  reason  I  should  do  so,  by 
speaking  against  the  Convent  or  those 
connected  with  it.  He  then  shook  hands 
with  me,  and  said  he  would  converse 
with  me  again  when  I  was  more  com- 
posed, and  left  the  house. 

I  soon  began  to  suspect  by  Mrs.  G.'s 
manners  that  she  was  not  my  friend,  and 
that  if  she  had  an  opportunity  she  would 
deliver  me  into  the  hands  of  the  Catho- 
lics ;  for  I  learned  from  her  little  daughter 
that  her  mother  had  given  her  to  the 
Catholic  Church,  because  the  Superior 
had  offered  to  educate  her,  free  of  ex- 
pense; and  that  her  mother  was  acquaint- 
ed with  the  Superior  before  I  went  to  the 
Convent.  Now  this  I  did  not  know  be- 
fore, and  I  began  to  be  more  guarded,  and 
to  fear  that  all  belonging  to  the  Romish 
Church  were  alike.  When  I  gave  Mrs. 
G.  the  letter  to  send  to  the  post-office,  she 
asked  if  I  was  afraid  she  would  break  it 
open ;  and  at  another  time  afterwards,  she 
told  me  I  was  afraid  she  would  poison  me 


IN    A    CONVENT.  181 

because  I  refused  to  take  medicine,  which 
I  thought  I  did  not  need.  Such  thoughts 
did  not  occur  to  my  mind. 

In  a  day  or  two  Priest  B.  again  came, 
and  after  much  persuasion  from  Mrs.  G. 
I  consented  to  see  him.  At  first  he  ap- 
peared very  pleasant,  said  he  had  come  to 
render  me  assistance,  and  begged,  as  I 
valued  my  religion  and  reputation,  to  take 
his  advice.  I  told  him  that  I  wished  none 
of  his  assistance  or  advice;  that  I  should 
go  to  my  brother's,  at  East  Cambridge,  as 
soon  as  possible ;  that  as  it  respected  my 
religion,  I  did  not  believe  in  one  which 
justified  its  followers  in  doing  wrong;  and 
that  I  was  not  at  all  concerned  that  my 
reputation  would  be  injured  on  that  ac- 
count by  returning  to  the  world.  He 
affected  considerable  contempt  for  my 
aged  parent,  and  ridiculed  many  things 
which  he  said  he  had  heard  of  my  father. 
And  he  said,*  "  Is  it  possible  that  a  young 
lady  wishes  t,o  have  her  name  made  pub- 

•  He  informed  me  I  should  be  anathematized  publicly   if  I   did 
not  repent. 


182  s>.x  MONTHS 

lie  ?"  I  answered,  "  You  very  well  know 
I  should  shrink  from  such  a  thing,  but  I 
should  rather  return  to  the  world  and  ex- 
pose myself  to  its  scorn,  than  remain  sub- 
ject to  the  commands  of  a  tyrant." 
"  Then,"  said  he,  "  if  you  are  determined 
to  return  to  the  world,  you  may  go  to  ru- 
in there  for  all  I  can  do;  and  rely  upon  it, 
you  will  shed  tears  of  blood  in  conse- 
quence of  the  step  you  have  taken,  if  you 
do  Tiot  repent  and  confess  all  at  the  secret 
tribunal  of  God."  I  told  him  I  should 
confess  to  none  but  God,  and  that  my 
conscience  prompted  me  to  do  as  I  had 
done.  He  asked  me  if  I  would  go  with 
him  to  the  Superior,  as  she  wanted  to  see 
me.  I  replied,  "  No,  I  will  not,  for  I  be- 
lieve you  or  any  other  Catholic  would  (if 
directed)  take  rny  life,  were  it  in  your  pow- 
er, as  truly  as  I  believe  I  am  living,  and  1 
will  not  trust  myself  in  your  clutches 
again."  At  these  words  he  turned  pale, 
and  asked  me  what  I  had  seen  or  heard  at 
the  Convent  that  made  me  think  so.  I 
refused  to  say  more,  and  retired  at  his 


IN    A    CONVENT.  183 

exclamation  that  it  would  be  death  to  me. 
Mrs.  G.  endeavored  to  console  me  with 
the  assurance  that  he  meant  right,  and 
that  it  would,  they  feared,  be  death  to  my 
soul. 

Mrs.  G.  afterwards  accused  me  of  endea- 
voring, at  the  time  of  my  escape,  to  induce 
Sister  Bernard  to  leave  the  Convent.  The 
Superior  sent  me  some  articles  of  wearing 
apparel,  which  for  -^  time  I  was  obliged 
to  accept.  My  sister  called;  she  had  been 
at  the  Convent,  and  was  informed  that  I 
was  at  Mrs.  G.'s.  She  was  overjoyed  to 
&ee  me,  but  much  grieved  because  (as 
she  thought)  1  had  refused  to  see  her 
at  the  Convent.  I  endeavored  to  calm 
her,  and  promised  to  explain  all  another 
time,  assuring  her  my  affection  was  not 
diminished,  and  that  I  should  soon  visit 
her.  I  did  not  then  explain  to  her  the 
manner  of  my  leaving  the  Convent.  It 
being  late  in  the  evening,  she  soon  re- 
turned home.  The  Missas  K.  also  called, 
and  by  their  conversation  I  feared  they 
would  inform  my  father  of  mv  situation, 


184  SIX   MONTHS 

before  I  should  be  well  and  prepared  to 
see  him;  and  I  did  not  wish  to  grieve  him 
with  a  knowledge  of  what  had  taken 
place.  Mrs.  G.  said  she  expected  my 
father  would  rave  at  her  for  having  ad- 
vised me  as  she  had  done,  if  he  should 
find  me  at  her  house. 

A  Catholic  lady,  who  had  stood  my 
sponsor,  and  who  brought  a  letter  from 
Mary  Francis,*  called,  and  conveyed  me 
to  her  house  in  Charlestown,  where  my 
father  and  brother  soon  found  me,  and  de 
sired  I  would  return  to  my  friends,  which 
I  did  in  the  evening.  Before  leaving, 
however,  I  called  on  Priest  B.,  and  told 
him  that  I  could  never  think  of  again 
attending  the  Romish  Church,  giving  my 
reasons,  and  adding  that  I  had  been  de- 
ceived in  their  religion,  and  in  those  who 
believed  it;  that  I  wished  to  take  my 
leave  of  him,  with  the  hope  that  he 
would  not  think  I  indulged  any  wrong 
feelings  towards  them,  or  that  1  desired  to 

•  This  letter  had  baen  broken  open. 


IN    A    CONVENT.  185 

injure  the  Romish  Church,  but  sincerely 
hoped  they  would  reform.  I  told  him  this 
while  he  sat  in  the  confessional.  He  re- 
mained unmoved,  and  would  not  allow 
that  I  had  been  treated  ill.  He  said  that 
I  could  not  but  know  that  the  step  I  had 
taken  would  be  a  great  injury  to  the 
Convent.  I  assured  him  that  it  was  not 
to  be  charged  to  me,  but  to  the  Superior 
and  Bishop,  who  by  their  conduct  had 
compelled  me  to  take  that  step.  I  also 
told  him  that  I  believed  it  had  been  his 
intention  to  deliver  me  again  into  their 
hands,  but  I  had  broken  the  chains  which 
bound  me,  and  felt  free;  and  that  I  should 
always  be  thankful  that  I  had  delivered 
myself  from  the  bondage  of  what  I  should 
consider  to  be  a  Romish  yoke,  rather  than 
the  true  cross  of  Christ. 

After  1  had  returned  to  my  brother's, 
Mrs.  G.  sent  to  me  by  her  little  daughter 
some  money,  which  she  said  I  had  given 
to  the  Superior.  Five  dollars  of  this  sum 
and  some  wearing  apparel  I  considered  as 
8* 


186     SIX   MONTHS    IN   A    CONVENT. 

not  my  own,  and  sent  them  back  with  a 
note  to  Madam  St.  George,  stating  that  I 
declined  receiving  any  thing  from  them  as 
presents,  but  if  they  would  return  what 
wearing  apparel,  &c.  belonged  to  me,  it 
would  be  properly  acknowledged. 

And  now  I  have  endeavored,  to  the  ex- 
tent of  my  ability,  to  give  a  true  and 
faithful  account  of  what  fell  under  my 
observation  during  my  sojourn  among  the 
Catholics,  and  especially  during  my  resi- 
dence at  the  Monastery  on  Mount  Bene- 
dict. And  I  leave  it  with  the  reader  to 
judge  of  my  motives  for  becoming  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Ursuline  Community,  and  for 
renouncing  it. 

If,  in  consequence  of  my  having  for  a 
time  strayed  from  the  true  religion,  I  am 
enabled  to  become  an  humble  instrument 
in  the  hands  of  God  in  warning  others  of 
the  errors  of  Romanism,  and  preventing 
even  one  from  falling  into  its  snares,  and 
from  being  shrouded  in  its  delusions,  I 
shall  fool  richly  rewarded. 


LETTER    TO    IRISH    CATHOLICS. 

[CONDENSED  FROM  A  BOSTON  PAPER.] 


I  AM  told  that  it  will  be  of  no  use  to  write  letters  to  you,  be- 
cause so  many  of  yOu  cannot  read.  But  there  are  also  many  of 
you  who  can  read.  I  write  to  them  ;  and  I  hope  they  will  read  rny 
letters  to  the  rest. 

But  why  have  you  not  been  taught  to  read  ?  You  and  your 
forefathers  have  had  Roman  Catholic  Priests  for  a  thousand  years. 
What  hava  they  beep,  doing?  Why  have  they  not  taught  you,  or 
taken  ware  to  have  you  taught  by  others  ?  What  have  they  dono 
with  all  the  money  which  you  and  your  fathers  have  paid  them? 
They  liave  built  splendid  churches  at  Rome,  and  bought  rich  dresses 
for  the  Pope  and  Cardinals  to  wear,  and  gilded  coaches  for  them 
to  ride  in.  They  have  built,  and  are  building,  expensive  colleges 
and  schools,  to  instruct  the  children  of  rich  Protestants,  hoping  to 
make  Catholic  Priests  of  them.  Meanwhile,  your  children,  and 
your  father's  children,  and  your  grandfather's  children,  and  your 
other  ancestors,  have  been  left,  to  get  a  little  learning  as  you  could, 
or  grow  up  in  ignorance. 

[s  not  this  all  true  ?  Only  think  how  much  money  you  hava 
paid  them  yourselves.  Do  you  know  what  they  have  done  with 
it  ?  When  a  Protestant  has  given  a  man  a  dollar  for  some  re- 
ligious purpose,  he  must  show  what  he  has  done  with  it,  or  he  wiH 
never  get  another.  Is  it  so  with  you  ?  Do  you  know  what  your 
Priests  do  with  all  the  money  they  reca-ve  from  you?  Have  not 
you  and  your  Catholic  neighbors  paid  »"«m  so  much,  that  they 
might  have  taught  you,  and  your  neighbor,,  arid  yowr  children,  to 
read  ?  If  you  and  your  ancestors,  for  five,  hundred  years  past, 
or  two  hundred  years  past,  had  been  Proteslaru*  you  would  have 
been  taught. 

Now,  my  friends,  think,  a  little  while,  whether  PrieOa  who  hare 
no  shamefully  neglected  their  duty  ire  worthy  of  your  confidence. 
You  and  your  fathers  have  tried  them  for  hundreds  o>'  yean. 
Have  you  not  tried  them  long  enough  ?  Is  it  not  time  for  yew  to 


188  LETTER    TO 


say  your  children  shall  be  taught  to  read  ?  Is  it  not  time  for  you 
to  choose  luch  schools  for  them  as  you  find  to  be  best  ?  This  is  a 
free  country.  The  Priests  have  no  right  to  con'rol  you  in  the  edu- 
cation of  your  children. 

Some  of  you  do  send  your  children  to  our  public  schools.  The 
teachers  tell  me  that  they  behave  as  well,  and  learn  as  fast,  as 
any  children  under  their  care.  I  am  glad  to  hear  it.  Your 
children,  thus  educated,  will  be  intelligent  and  respectable.  Some 
of  them  will  be  among  our  great  men  in  another  generation.  If 
the  Priests  will  furnish  schools  for  your  children  which  are  as  good 
as  the  public  schools,  you  have  a  perfect  right  to  send  your 
children  to  which  you  please.  But  see  to  it  that  they  go  to  good 
schools, — schools  where  they  learn  well.  If  you  are  determined 
to  send  them  to  such  schools,  probably  the  Priests  will  not  object, 
for  they  know  they  cannot  help  themselves.  Perhaps  they  will 
even  encourage  you.  But  whether  they  do  or  not,  see  to  it  that 
your  children  are  well  educated. 

Your  Priests  tell  you,  that  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  is  infalli- 
ble. Suppose  it  is  so.  How  do  you  know  what  that  church 
teaches  ?  Some  three  weeks  ago  a  part  of  the  doings  of  the  Council 
of  Trent,  sanctioned  by  the  Pope's  Bull,  were  published.  It  was 
copied  from  a  book  published  by  Roman  Catholics,  and  sanctioned 
by  the  Roman  Catholic  authorities  in  church  and  state.  Yet  the 
Catholic  Sentinel  calls  it  a  "  Protestant  slander."  Now,  if  such 
documents,  so  published,  are  not  to  be  depended  upon,  how  are  we 
to  know,  or  how  can  you  know,  what  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
really  teaches  ?  Especially,  how  do  those  of  you  who  cannot  read 
know  what  the  church  teaches  ? 

Do  you  say,  that  your  Priests  tell  you  what  the  church  teaches  ? 
How  do  you  know  that  they  tell  you  truly  ?  How  do  you  know 
that  they  do  not  deceive  you  ?  How  do  you  know  that  the  Priests 
themselves  know  what  the  doctrines  of  the  church  are  ?  Do  you 
believe  that  every  Priest  is  infallible  ?  Martin  Luther  was  once 
a  Roman  Catholic  Priest.  Was  he  infallible?  Calvin,  too,  was 
once  a  Roman  Catholic  Priest.  Was  he  infallible  ?  Mr.  Samuel 
B.  Smith,  who  is  now  publishing  a  newspaper,  called  "  The 
Downfall  of  Babylon,"  was  a  Roman  Catholic  Priest  only  some 
two  years  ago.  Was  he  infallible  ?  If  they  were  infallible,  then 
they  did  right  to  leave  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 

But  you  may  be  told,  that  these  men  were  apostates — they  left 
Ae  church,  and  became  Protestants.  True,  they  became  Protes- 
tants. But  if  th'-  Roman  Catholic  Church  had  been  right,  and  they 
when  Priests  had  been  infallible,  they  could  not  hare  left  it.  And 
then,  think  of  Archbishop  Fenelon.  He  did  not  leave  the  church. 
Yet  he  published  a  book,  which  the  Pope  condemned,  and  he  con- 
fessed that  it  contained  erroneous  doctrines.  Was  he  infallible 
when  he  wrote  that  book  ?  And  was  the  Pops  infallible  w«i»n  ho 
condemned  it  ?  And  was  Pension  still  infallible  when  V»  v  '•  <** 
Ike  Pope  in  condemning  it  ? 


IRISH    CATHOLICS.  189 

No,  your  Priests  are  not  infallible.  They  may  mistake.  How 
do  you  know  that  those  of  them  who  teach  you  do  not  mistake  ? 
How  do  you  know  that  what  they  teach  is  the  true  doctrine  of 
the  church  ?  How  can  you  know,  uulea<<  you  read  the  Bible  for 
yourselves,  and  find  that  the  Bible  leaches  the  same  doctrines  ? 

Do  your  Priests  ever  tell  you  to  pray  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  the 
mother  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  I  suppose  they  do.  You  know 
whether  they  tell  you  so  or  not.  How  do  you  know  that  this  is  a 
doctrine  of  the  true  Catholic  Church  ?  Do  you  say,  that  all  Catho- 
lics practise  it  ?  You  mean,  all  Catholics  with  whom  you  are 
acquainted.  Perhaps  there  are  other  Catholics  who  do  not  pray 
to  her.  How  do  you  know  ?  Do  your  Priests  tell  you  ?  How  do 
your  Priests  know  ?  And  how  do  you  know  that  they  tell  the 
truth? 

I  suppose  that  all  Roman  Catholics  do  pray  to  the  Virgin  Mary ; 
thought  do  not  see  how  either  you  or  lean  know  it  infallibly.  But 
I  suppose  that  you  pray  to  her  here  in  Boston,  and  some  of  your 
friends  pray  to  her  m  New  York,  and  others  in  Pennsylvania,  and 
others  in  Ohio,  and  others  in  Ireland,  all  at  once.  Now  stop  and 
think  for  a  moment ; — can  she  hear  you  all  at  once  ?  When  you 
pray  to  God,  he  can  hear  you,  because  he  is  an  infinite  Spirit,  and 
is  everywhere  at  the  same  time ;  but  Mary  is  not  God.  She  is 
not  everywhere  at  the  same  time.  She  cannot  listen  at  once  to 
a  million  of  people,  some  here,  and  some  three  thousand,  and  some 
ten  thousand  miles  off.  Whsn  several  people  speak  to  you  at 
once,  you  cannot  listen  to  them  all,  and  understand  them  all.  And 
do  you  believe  that  Mary  can  listen  to  a  million,  who  are  all  speak- 
ing at  once,  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  so  as  to  know  what  they 
all  say  ?  Do  you  say  the  infallible  church  teaches  that  she  can  hear 
them  all?  How  do  you  know  that  the  church  teaches  it  ?  How  do 
you  know  that  your  Priests  tell  the  truth  when  they  say  the  church 
leaches  it?  And  how  do  you  know  that  the  church  is  infallible  ? 
You  hare  only  the  word  of  the  Priests  for  it,  and  perhaps  they  mis- 
lake.  And  if  the  Irue  church  is  infallible,  how  do  you  know  that  the 
Church  of  Rome  is  the  true  church  ?  The  Priests  tell  you  so  ;  but 
they  may  be  wrong.  And  besides,  do  you  not  see  that  Mary 
cannot  listen  to  a  million  of  prayers  at  once,  so  as  to  understand 
them  all  ?  Do  you  not  see  that  this  must  be  an  error  ?  Do  you 
not  see  that,  if  the  Church  of  Rome  teaches  this,  it  teaches  what  is 
not  true  ? 

If  your  Priests  teach  you  to  pray  to  Mary,  they  teach  you 
wrong.  God  says,  that  "  whoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  saved."  Romans  x.  13.  He  does  not  say  that  who- 
ever shall  call  on  the  name  of  Mary  shall  be  saved.  God  teaches 
one  thing,  and  your  Priests  teach  another. 

I  must  say  a  few  words  to  you  about  images.  In  the  second  of 
the  ten  commandments,  God  says,  "  Thou  shall  not  bow  down 
unto  them"  Do  you  bow  down  unto  them?  If  you  do,  you 


190  LETTER    TO 


disobey  God.  If  your  Priests  teach  you  to  bow  down  unto  them, 
they  teach  you  to  break  God's  commandment. 

I  could  quote  to  you  what  Roman  Catholic  councils  have  de- 
creed, and  what  Pope*  have  said  on  this  subject ;  for  I  can  read 
Latin  as  well  as  your  Priests.  But  when  I  quote  what  Popes  and 
councils  say,  the  Sentinel  calls  it  "Protestant  slander."  Your 
infallible  church  has  no  infallible  booka,  in  which  any  one  can  infal- 
libly learn  its  doctrines ;  at  least,  I  cannot  find  any,  which  your 
Priests  and  editors  will  allow  to  be  infallible.  But  no  matter.  I 
am  writing  to  you,  and  you  know  whether  they  teach  you  to  bow 
down  to  images  or  not.  If  they  do,  they  teach  you  to  do  wickedly  ; 
and  if  you  follow  such  teaching,  you  offend  God. 

Perhaps  the  Priests  will  tell  you,  that  you  do  not  worship  the 
image,  but  only  worship  God  by  means  of  the  image.  But  take 
notice,  God  says,  "Thou  shall  not  bow  down  unto  them."  Now, 
suppose  you  bow  down  unto  an  image  for  the  purpose  of  worship- 
ping God ;  still  you  break  God's  commandment ;  for  he  says,  "  Thou 
shall  not  bow  down  unto  them."  When  God  tells  you  that  you 
must  not  do  a  thing,  he  never  sends  Priests  to  tell  you  that  you 
must  do  it  If  any  Priest  tells  you  to  bow  down  before  an  image, 
you  must  know  by  that  that  God  did  not  send  him.  I  have  been 
told  that  Biahop  Cheverus  some  years  ago  said,  in  one  of  his  ser- 
mons, that  you  must  have  images,  because  you  are  so  ignorant  that 
you  cannot  worship  without  them ;  and  I  have  read  the  words  of 
some  Popes  and  Bishops  who  speak  in  the  same  way.  But  is  this 
true  1  Did  not  God  know  whether  you  ought  to  have  images  or 
not,  when  he  said,  "  Thou  shall  not  bow  down  unto  them  V 

But  can  you  not  think  of  God  when  you  do  not  see  an  image  ? 
You  know  that  you  can.  You  can  remember  how  kind  he  has 
been  to  you,  in  preserving  your  lives;  in  giving  you  food  to  eat, 
and  raiment  to  put  on  ;  and  in  giving  his  Son  to  die  for  you,  that 
your  sins  may  be  pardoned.  You  can  feel  thankful  to  him  for  all 
his  goodness.  You  can  say,  heartily,  "  O  God,  I  thank  tbee  for 
all  thy  goodness  to  me."  You  can  wish  him  to  continue  to  take 
care  of  you,  and  supply  your  wants,  and  forgive  your  sins,  and 
help  you  to  keep  his  commandments.  You  can  think  of  God,  and 
ask  him  to  do  all  these  things,  without  having  an  image  to  look  at. 
You  know  you  can.  Do  it,  and  that  will  be  worshipping  God 
without  the  use  of  an  image.  You  know  you  can  do  it.  You  are 
not  such  great  dunces  as  your  Priests  and  Bishops  pretend  to  think 
you  are.  You  can  worship  God  without  an  image  ;  and  you  can 
learn  to  worship  him  still  better  than  you  now  can. 

Pe.aaps  some  of  your  Priests  will  tell  you,  that  God  has  given 
no  such  commandment  in  respect  to  images.  In  some  of  their 
books,  in  which  they  pretend  to  give  the  whole  of  the  ten  com- 
mandments, thry  have  left  out  the  second,  and  divided  the  tenth 
into  two,  so  as  to  make  out  the  number.  When  the  Protestants 
found  it  out,  and  told  the  public  of  it,  the  Priesw  had  other  editions 
of  the  same  books  published,  with  all  the  commandments  in  them, 


IRISH     CATHOLICS.  191 


as  they  should  be.  These  they  show,  to  prove  that  the  etory  about 
their  leaving  out  the  second  commandment  is  a  "  Protestant 
slander."  Books  of  both  kinds  are  still  in  circulation.  I  do  not 
know  which  you  have,  or  which  your  Catholic  neighbors  have.  I 
mention  it,  that  you  may  not  be  deceived  if  you  happen  to  have 
one  of  the  false  books,  or  if  you  have  a  false  Priest,  who  tells  you 
there  is  no  such  commandment. 

Think  seriously  of  these  things.  Remember  God's  command- 
ment, which  forbids  you  to  bow  down  before  images.  Worship 
him  in  your  minds,  by  thinking  of  him  and  expressing  your 
thoughts.  Speak  to  him.  Thank  him  for  his  goodness,  and  ask 
him  for  what  you  need.  He  will  understand  you.  If  you  mean 
honestly,  he  will  know  it,  and  will  be  pleased  with  your  worship. 

You  know  whether  your  Priesta  tell  you  any  thing  about  pur- 
gatory. You  know  whether  you  ever  gave  them  any  money  to 
pray,  or  say  mass,  for  the  souls  of  your  friends,  who,  you  sup- 
posed, might  be  in  purgatory.  You  know  whether  you  ever  gave 
them  any  money  to  pray  or  say  mass  for  your  own  souls,  when 
you  are  dead.  You  know,  too,  whether  they  ever  told  you  to  give 
money  lor  such  purposes.  You  know  about  these  things.  I  do 
not ;  but  I  suppose  they  teach  you  that  there  is  such  a  place  as 
purgatory. 

Now,  how  do  they  know  that  there  is  any  such  place  ?  How 
did  they  find  it  out  ?  There  U  not  one  word  about  it  in  the  whole 
Bible.  God,  in  the  Bible,  has  not  told  them  that  there  is  any  such 
place.  How,  then,  do  they  know  that  there  w  any  purgatory  ? 
Do  they  say,  the  church  has  decided  it?  How  do  you  know  that 
the  church" has  decided  it?  How  do  you  know  that  it  was  not 
some  false  Pope,  or  some  wicked,  heretical  council,  that  made 
that  decision  ?  Do  the  Priests  tell  you  ?  The  Priests  are  not  in- 
fallible. Perhaps  they  mistake.  But  if  the  church  did  rnako 
such  a  decision,  how  did  the  church  know  ?  God  did  not  tell  them. 
We  have  all  God's  word  in  the  Bible,  and  it  says  not  one  word  about 
purgatory. 

How,  then,  do  the  Priests  know  that  there  is  a  purgatory  ?  Have 
any  of  them  ever  been  there  ?  No.  Did  they  ever  see  any  body 
that  had  been  there  '!  I  think  they  will  not  pretend  that  they  hava. 
The  truth  U,  that  there  is  no  such  place. 

Do  you  ask  me  why  they  tell  such  a  story  ?  You  have  a  better 
opportunity  to  know  than  I  have.  You  know  whether  they  get 
any  of  your  money  by  telling  it.  If  they  do,  it  may  be  that  they 
tell  it  for  the  sake  of  getting  your  money.  What  would  you  think 
of  any  body  ul*e  who  should  get  away  your  money  by  telling  you 
what  is  not  true  ? 

I  do  not  me:. in  to  say  that  all  your  Priests  know  that  there  is  no 
such  place  as  purgatory.  Perhaps  some  of  them  believe  it;  lor 
some  of  them  are  very  ignorant.  After  all  the  noise  they  make 
about  thuir  Ir-inim;.',  some  of  them  have  only  a  little  Latin,  which 
they  have  taari^d  by  heart  without  understanding  it,  arid  eannit 


192 


LETTER,  &C. 


read  a  word  of  Greek  or  Hebrew.  But  if  such  ignorant  Priest* 
do  believe  it,  that  does  not  make  it  true.  Our  Savior  tells  you  not 
to  follow  such  blind  guides,  lest  you  both  fall  into  the  ditch. 

Perhaps  you  say  you  are  a  sinner,  and  unfit  for  heaven ;  and 
ask  what  you  shall  do,  if  there  is  no  purgatory,  where  you  can 
suffer  what  you  deserve,  unless  the  Priest  procures  your  release 
by  saying  mass  for  you.  I  will  tell  you.  Go  into  your  clo«et.  Go 
into  any  place  where  you  can  be  alone.  There  think  of  Christ. 
Remember  the  words  of  the  holy  Apostle,  written  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  "the  blood  of  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin."  Think 
of  Christ,  who  died  for  your  sins.  Believe  that  God  is  there,  and 
can  hear  you.  Think  of  your  sins.  Confess  them,  honestly,  to 
God.  Ask  him  to  forgive  you,  for  Christ's  sake.  Do  not  pray  to 
Mary,  or  some  other  Saint,  Do  not  ask  any  of  them  to  intercede 
with  God  for  you.  Speak  to  God  yourself.  Tell  him  that  you  are 
a  shiner.  Tell  him  all  the  truth  about  yourself.  Ask  him  to 
forgive  your  sins.  Believe  that  he  is  ready  and  willing  to  hear 
your  prayer,  and  to  forgive  your  sins,  for  the  sake  of  his  Son,  who 
died  to  redeem  you.  If  you  really  feel  sorry  that  you  have  sinned, 
and  truly  wish  to  serve  God  hereafter,  he  will  accept  and  pardon 
you.  Do  not  be  afraid  to  speak  to  your  heavenly  Father.  He 
loved  you  so  much  as  to  give  his  Son  to  die  for  you ;  and  will  he 
not  be  pleased  to  hear  your  prayer  and  forgive  your  sins  ?  Cer- 
tainly he  will.  Go  to  him.  Confess  your  sins  to  him.  Ask  par- 
don of  him.  "He  will  forgive  you.  He  will  give  you  his  Spirit,  to 
lead  you  in  the  right  way.  When  you  die,  he  will  not  send  you 
to  hell,  for  you  are  pardoned  ;  nor  to  purgatory ,  for  there  is  no  such 
place  ;  but  will  take  you  to  heaven  at  once. 


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